Kazakhstan: Steppe Cement has reduced its consolidated loss after tax to US$1.5m in the first half of 2016 from US$2.2m in the same period in 2015. Its turnover fell by 47% year-on-year to US$23.7m from US$44.7m due to a devaluation of the Kazakh Tenge. Despite this, it increased its sales of cement by 6% to 0.76Mt from 0.72Mt.
The cement producer reported that the Kazakh cement market decreased by 10% during the first half of 2016. It expects a market of about 9Mt in 2016, down from 9.6Mt in 2015. Steppe Cement has increased its market share to 18% year-on-year in the reporting period from 16% and it expects to reach a share of 19% for the full year. Imports of cement into Kazakhstan have decreased by 63% in 2016 as the Russian Rouble exchange rate has returned to its historical level against the KZT. Imports represent 5% of the market down from 12% in 2015.
