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Core sector grows at 6-month high in Jan

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The growth during the month has been aided by increased output in the five out of eight industries ‘ coal, refineries, steel, cement and electricity.

In the month of January 2020, the output of eight core industries grew at a six-month high. At 2.2 per cent growth in the month, it was 70 bps higher than the 1.5 per cent growth in witnessed in the corresponding month a year ago and 10 bps higher than 2.1 per cent growth seen in the previous month. The eight core industries comprise of 40.27 per cent of the weights included in the index of industrial production (IIP) basket. The growth during the month has been aided by increased output in the five out of eight industries ‘ coal, refineries, steel, cement and electricity.

For December 2019, the year-on-year (YoY) growth has been revised upwards from 1.3 per cent earlier to 2.1 per cent as per latest data.

During the first 10 months of FY20’April 2019 to January 2020’the production in the eight core industries expanded at lacklustre 0.6 per cent, as against the 4.4 per cent growth seen in the corresponding period a year ago.

Industry-wise growth:

  • Coal production was at a 10 month high and it increased by 8 per cent in January 2020 compared with the 2 per cent growth seen in January 2019. The resumption of extraction activities post delayed monsoons this year has resulted in the increase in the production by the industry.
  • Crude oil production in January 2020 contracted for more than two years, successively for 26 months by 5.3 per cent, higher than de-growth by 4.3 per cent seen in January 2019. Decline in the crude oil prices globally and high inventories are seen to weigh on the production during the month.
  • The production of the natural gas too has contracted by 9.1 per cent as against 6.2 per cent growth seen in January 2019 registering sustained contraction for the 10 months mainly on account of subdued prices and inventory pile up.
  • Refinery products, which have highest weight in eight core industries, grew by 1.9 per cent in January 2020, as against 2.6 per cent contraction seen in the comparable month last year. It can partly be ascribed to the increased production of BS VI fuel by the refiners to meet the upcoming demand ahead of the implementation of BS VI norms April 2020 onwards.
  • Fertilizers production has seen a decline for the first time in the past eight months. The production of fertilizers decreased by 0.1 per cent in January 2020 compared with the 10.5 per cent growth seen in January 2019. High base effect has weighed on the overall growth numbers during the month despite of robust sowing activities seen during rabi season.
  • Steel production increased by 2.2 per cent in January 2020 lower than the 5.5 per cent growth witnessed in January 2019. The resumption of construction activities has supported the production in the industry.
  • The production of cement grew by 5 per cent in January 2020, lower than the 11 per cent growth in January 2019. Though the pick-up in construction activities aided the production of cement, high base effect the curtailed overall growth during the month.
  • Electricity production witnessed a trend reversal and grew by 2.8 per cent against the sustained contraction seen in the previous 5 months. It was also higher than the 0.8 per cent growth in January 2019.
  • CARE Ratings’ view
    Based on the core sector growth, IIP is expected to grow by 2-3 per cent for January 2020. We are expecting IIP to grow by 2 per cent for FY20.

    COURTESY:
    CARE RATINGS "Core Sector Update"
    January 2020

    Disclaimer: This report is prepared by CARE Ratings Ltd. CARE Ratings has taken utmost care to ensure accuracy and objectivity while developing this report based on information available in public domain. However, neither the accuracy nor completeness of information contained in this report is guaranteed. CARE Ratings is not responsible for any errors or omissions in analysis/inferences/views or for results obtained from the use of information contained in this report and especially states that CARE Ratings has no financial liability whatsoever to the user of this report.

    ABOUT THE AUTHORS: ‘Madan Sabnavis is Chief Economist. He can be contacted on: madan.sabnavis@careratings.com or 91-22-68374433 ‘ Dr Rucha Ranadive is Economist. She can be contacted on: rucha.ranadive@careratings.com or 91-22-68374406

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    Economy & Market

    Hindalco Buys US Speciality Alumina Firm for $125 Million

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    This strategic acquisition marks a significant investment in speciality alumina, a key step by Aditya Birla Group’s metals flagship towards becoming future-ready by scaling its high-value, technology-led materials portfolio.

    Hindalco Industries, the world’s largest aluminium company by revenue and the metals flagship of the $28 billion Aditya Birla Group, has announced the acquisition of a 100 per cent equity stake in US-based AluChem Companies—a prominent manufacturer of speciality alumina—for an enterprise value of $125 million. The transaction will be executed through Aditya Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary.

    This acquisition represents a pivotal investment in speciality alumina and advances Hindalco’s strategy to expand its high-value, technology-led materials portfolio.

    Hindalco’s speciality alumina business, a key pillar of its value-added strategy, has delivered consistent double-digit growth in recent years. It has emerged as a high-growth, high-margin vertical within the company’s portfolio. As speciality alumina finds expanding applications across electric mobility, semiconductors, and precision ceramics, the deal positions Hindalco further up the innovation curve, enabling next-generation alumina solutions and value-accretive growth.

    Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, called the acquisition an important step in their global strategy to build a leadership position in value-added, high-tech materials.

    “Our strategic foray into the speciality alumina space will not only accelerate the development of future-ready, sustainable solutions but also open new pathways to pursue high-impact growth opportunities. By integrating advanced technologies into our value chain, we are reinforcing our commitment to self-reliance, import substitution, and building scale in innovation-led businesses.”

    Ronald P Zapletal, Founder, AluChem Companies, said the partnership with Hindalco would provide AluChem the ability and capital to scale up faster and build scale in North America.

    “AluChem will benefit from their world-class sustainability and safety standards and practices, access to integrated operations and a consistent, reliable raw material supply chain. Their ability to leverage R&D capabilities and a talented workforce adds tremendous value to our innovation pipeline, helping drive market expansion beyond North America.”

    An Eye on the Future

    The global speciality alumina market is projected to grow significantly, with rising demand for tailored solutions in sectors such as ceramics, electronics, aerospace, and medical applications. Hindalco currently operates 500,000 tonnes of speciality alumina capacity and aims to scale this up to 1 million tonnes by FY2030.

    Commenting on the development, Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries, said the deal reinforced their commitment to innovation and global expansion.

    “As alumina gains increasing relevance in critical and clean-tech sectors, AluChem’s advanced chemistry capabilities will significantly enhance our ability to serve these fast-evolving markets. Importantly, it deepens our high-value-added portfolio with differentiated products that drive profitability and strengthen our global competitiveness.”

    AluChem adds a strong North American presence to Hindalco’s portfolio, with an annual capacity of 60,000 tonnes across three advanced manufacturing facilities in Ohio and Arkansas. The company is a long-standing supplier of ultra-low soda calcined and tabular alumina, materials prized for their thermal and mechanical stability and widely used in precision engineering and high-performance refractories.

    Saurabh Khedekar, CEO of the Alumina Business at Hindalco Industries, said the acquisition unlocked immediate synergies, including market access and portfolio diversification.

    “Hindalco plans to work with AluChem’s high performance technology solutions and scale up production of ultra-low soda alumina products to drive a larger global market share.”

    The transaction is expected to close in the upcoming quarter, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

     

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    Concrete

    Shree Cement reports 2025 financial year results

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    Shree Cement posted revenue of US$2.38 billion for FY2025, marking a 5.5 per cent decline year-on-year. Operating costs rose 2.9 per cent to US$2.17 billion, resulting in an EBITDA of US$528 million—down 12 per cent from the previous year. Net profit fell 50 per cent to US$141 million. The company reported cement sales of 9.84Mt in Q4 FY2025, a 3.3 per cent increase from 9.53Mt in Q4 FY2024, with premium products making up 16 per cent of total sales.

    Image source:https://newsmantra.in/

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    Concrete

    Rekha Onteddu to become director at Sagar Cements

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    Sagar Cements has announced the appointment of Rekha Onteddu as a non-executive independent director, effective 30 June 2025. According to People in Business News, Rekha Onteddu is currently serving in a similar capacity at Andhra Cements, the parent company of Sagar Cements.

    Image source:https://sagarcements.in/

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