Building materials sector picks up in H1

BEIJING - China's building materials sector regained steam in the first half, with real estate investment picking up speed, according to the latest data from the country's top economic planner.

Cement output rose 9.7 percent year on year to 1.1 billion tons in the first half, compared with 5.5 percent recorded in the same period of 2012, according to data issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The output of flat glass grew 10.8 percent year on year to 389.9 million weight boxes in the first six months, compared to a 3.1-percent decline in the first half of 2012, according to NDRC data.

A major consumer of cement and flat glass, the property sector rebounded with mounting investment in the April-June period, according to a report published by the Ministry of Land and Resources on Sunday.

Prices for cement and flat glass headed in different directions in June. The factory price of cement slid 1.1 percent from May to an average of 339 yuan ($54.9) per ton at major building material manufacturers. The wholesale price of flat glass rebounded 2.2 percent from May to 63.8 yuan per weight box.

At the end of June, cement inventories at major enterprises edged up 0.3 percent year on year to 27.76 million tons, compared with 15.1 percent at the end of June 2012, indicating that the sector is recovering from overcapacity and redundant construction.

Meanwhile, stocks of flat glass increased 8 percent year on year to 44.28 million weight boxes, compared with 26.1 percent at the end of June 2012, according to NDRC data.

The data showed that the combined profits of the building materials industry rose 19.9 percent year on year to 132.15 billion yuan in the first five months, compared with a 9.7-percent decline recorded in the same period of 2012.

Cement makers saw a 1-percent increase in profits to 15.28 billion yuan, while flat glass manufacturers saw profits of 1.04 billion yuan from a net loss of 420 million yuan in the same period of last year.