India: Adani subsidiary Ambuja Cements recorded earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of US$14.8m in the third quarter of the 2026 financial year (FY2026), down by 21% year-on-year. Net profit dropped by 86%, to US$4.01m. Ambuja Cements noted the effects of new labour codes, a new environmental tax in Chhattisgarh and an extra sales tax deposit during the quarter, as against an excise duty exemption and favourable income tax effects in the corresponding quarter of FY2025. All of this combined to offset what would otherwise have been a more-than-tripling of Ambuja Cements’ profit, according to the producer. Ambuja Cements sold 18.9Mt of cement in the third quarter of FY2025, up by 17% year-on-year.

CEO Vinod Bahety said "We achieved highest-ever quarterly volumes, higher premium cement sales – resulting in better realisation than industry peers – and better base capacity volumes growth."

Belgium: Holcim has paused the €250m ‘green transition’ decarbonisation project at its Obourg cement plant, which involved the installation of CO₂ capture, concentration and purification technology to reduce the plant’s emissions. A final investment decision was originally planned for February 2026, but Vincent Michel, programme director of the ‘Go4Zero’ project at the plant, stated that the risks are currently ‘too high’ for the company to proceed, calling a decision now ‘pure suicide’, according to The Brussels Times. This means that Holcim will now push back its target for the site to become emissions-free from 2029 to late 2030 or early 2031. The decision reportedly followed uncertainty around Belgium’s CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure. The Obourg plant produces about 25% of Belgium’s cement output and emits around 1Mt/yr of CO₂.

Vietnam: Cement producers Fico YTL, Insee Vietnam, SCG Vietnam, Vicem Ha Long and Vicem Ha Tien separately reported high operating expenses in January 2026. They attributed this to rises in the costs of energy and raw materials. The Hanoi Times has reported that the producers raised cement prices in response.

Vietnam Building Materials Association secretary general Thai Duy Sam said "Project construction nationwide accelerated from October 2025 to boost capital disbursement. The trend lifted material consumption, pushed prices slightly higher and signalled stronger growth momentum for 2026."

Afghanistan: A coalition of investors has expressed interest in establishing a cement plant in Kunduz, following a meeting with Mawlavi Habib-ur-Rehman Saheb, deputy governor of Kunduz, according to the Bakhtar News Agency. The investors, including two from China, one from Tajikistan and one from Afghanistan, will secure a 10km² area in Aliabad district to build a cement plant with planned production of 2500 - 3000t/day of cement. It is expected to create jobs for ‘thousands’ of local residents.