Business
UK cement production drops to lowest levels since 1950s
Pritti Mistry & Simon BrowningBusiness reporters, BBC News
Getty ImagesUK cement production has fallen to its lowest level since 1950, putting the government’s house building plan at risk, a trade body has warned.
Cement is the key binding ingredient in concrete, which is the most widely used material in the construction industry, and mortar.
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) said production levels were “increasingly under threat” due to high energy, regulatory and labour costs.
The Department for Business and Trade said it recognised challenges in the sector and its Industrial Strategy was increasing help for energy-intense companies, which include cement manufacturers.
The Labour government has pledged to build 1.5 million new homes in England by 2029 as part of efforts to solve the housing crisis and boost economic growth.
Under a separate investment strategy unveiled in June, Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged to pour £725bn over the next decade into maintaining existing infrastructure and building new projects.
But the UK made just 7.3 million tonnes of cement in 2024, according to the MPA, which represents manufacturers of products such as asphalt and cement.
The trade body said that was about half of that produced in 1990 and similar to production levels seen when rationing was still in place following the World War Two.
MPA executive director Dr Diana Casey said the decline threatened to derail the government’s ambitions for housing, infrastructure and clean energy projects.
“[You] can’t build houses, bridges or railways without us,” she told the BBC.
“So the fact production has declined so much at a level since 1950 is worrying,” she continued, adding that it “could impact government targets like homes and hospitals and power plants that are due to be built”.
The MPA said a project such as the Sizewell C nuclear power plant could need up to 750,000 tonnes of cement and a new hospital would require nearly 8,000 tonnes.
A traditional four-bedroom home needs between three and five tonnes.
The MPA said production had fallen due to rising costs and changes to carbon taxation, which reduced market competitiveness and was a major concern to the sector.
It also highlighted the growth of cheaper cement import sales nearly tripling over the past 16 years, from 12% in 2008 to 32% in 2024.
Ms Casey said more action was needed to cut electricity prices, which were “disproportionately affecting the industry”.
“[The] UK is uncompetitive because of high costs – energy particularly – and regulatory burden because of carbon, therefore it is cheaper to import cement,” she said.
“We’re calling on the government to help put domestic production on a level playing field so that it can compete fairly with imports.”
In a statement, the Department for Business and Trade said: “We recognise the cement sector faces challenges which is why our modern Industrial Strategy is increasing support for energy-intensive firms through our Supercharger scheme, which will slash energy prices for eligible businesses.”
According to the MPA, about 40% of British cement is manufactured in the Peak District, with the rest of the production spread across the UK.
The trade body fears jobs could be at risk and “disappear in the future” if imports rise.
Rico Wojtulewicz, head of policy and market insights at the National Federation of Builders, said it was getting harder for construction firms, because there were many stalled projects which meant there was a reduced need for locally manufactured cement.
Building costs had also continued to rise, he added, which was pushing smaller builders out of the sector and driving others to find savings.
“They are all looking for better priced materials,” he said.
Business
‘Our refineries are robust!’: India can process Venezuelean crude oil when available; here’s what IOCL chairman said – The Times of India
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) said that the country’s refineries are capable of processing Venezuelan crude if supplies resume. “If at all things start settling down, if at all a lot of crude starts coming out of Venezuela, then can’t we import oil from Venezuela?” he said.The executive further added that the company, used to process Venezuelean crude a decade back and can do so again. “Venezuelan crude earlier when it was available, like 10 years back or eight years back when it used to be there in the market,” Sahney said at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
Speaking about the capabilities of the refineries, the chairman highlighted that they are strong and can process the supplies. “So our refineries are varied, our refineries are robust. They can process in an admixed manner, but we can process Venezuelan crude if and when it is made available.”The remarks follow the US’s capture of outsted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a military operation and an agreement to send 50 million barrels of oil, worth $5.2 billion, to the interim Venezuelan government.Sahney also highlighted India’s favourable economic and energy landscape. “India is growing at a phenomenal rate, and everybody is interested in talking about doing business with India,” he said.Commenting on global crude prices, he noted, “Crude has been trading in the range of $60-65 per barrel over the past several months. For the better part of the last six months, they were at $60 or below. This is a good zone where economic growth is also happening and sellers of crude are comfortable.”Pointing out India’s reliance on imports, he said, “India remains heavily dependent on imports to meet its energy needs, with IOCL importing about 85-87% of its crude oil requirements. The current price band is supportive for economic stability.”Sahney explained that refining margins depend on more than crude prices. “Refining margin is a very broad term. It is finally affected by the cracks in the international market. Today, cracks are working fine. They have returned to normalcy but are still in a healthy zone,” he said.He added that government policy has also supported the sector. “There is no problem on the policy side. Whatever support is required has already been given. It is up to us to improve profitability by increasing efficiency, reducing costs and optimising the supply chain,” Sahney said.Moving forward, Indian Oil plans to continue investing across the energy value chain, including downstream petrochemicals and cleaner energy solutions.The WEF’s 56th Annual Meeting runs from January 19 to 23, 2026, in Davos-Klosters, with around 3,000 participants from over 130 countries, including world leaders, CEOs, innovators and policymakers, under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue.”
Business
Stock Market Update: Sensex Rises Over 50 Points, Nifty Above 25,250; Eternal, Sun Pharma Gain 2% Each
Last Updated:
A day after Indian equity markets witnessed heavy selling pressure, benchmark indices are likely to open marginally higher on Wednesday
Stock Market Today
A day after Indian equity markets witnessed heavy selling pressure, benchmark indices are likely to open marginally higher on Wednesday. However, sentiment remains cautious as global cues continue to stay weak amid escalating geopolitical tensions.
The early indicator of market direction, GIFT Nifty, was trading 0.05 percent higher at around 8:00 AM.
Trading on Dalal Street is expected to remain stock-specific with the Q3 earnings season in full swing. Companies such as Eternal, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Hindustan Petroleum and PNB Housing Finance are scheduled to announce their quarterly results today.
Rupee At Record Low
The Indian rupee opened at a record low of 91.07 against the US dollar on Wednesday.
Global cues
Asian markets extended their losses on Wednesday, weighed down by renewed geopolitical concerns after the US President issued fresh warnings to European nations over the Greenland issue. Japan’s Nikkei slipped 0.35 percent after government bond yields rebounded, a day after a sharp selloff.
Trump has imposed a 10 percent tariff on eight European countries, effective February 1, with the rate set to rise to 25 percent in June, after they opposed his plans to acquire Greenland.
Overnight, Wall Street recorded its worst session since April last year, according to Bloomberg, with market volatility touching its highest level since November. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq ended more than 2 percent lower.
The spotlight this week remains on the World Economic Forum in Davos, where global leaders have raised concerns over the dominance of “superpowers”. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a key address, said the “rules-based international order” is effectively dead.
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January 21, 2026, 09:11 IST
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Snapchat’s parent Snap has settled a social media addiction lawsuit just days before the landmark case was due to go to trial in Los Angeles.
Terms of the deal were not announced as it was revealed by lawyers at a California Superior Court hearing, after which Snap told the BBC the parties were “pleased to have been able to resolve this matter in an amicable manner”.
Other defendants in the case include Instagram parent Meta, ByteDance’s TikTok and Alphabet’s YouTube, none of which have settled.
The plaintiff, a 19-year old woman identified by the initials K.G.M., alleged that the algorithmic design of the platforms left her addicted and affected her mental health.
In the absence of a settlement with the other parties, the trial is scheduled to go forward against the remaining three defendants, with jury selection due to begin on 27 January.
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify, and until Tuesday’s settlement, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was also set to take the stand.
Meta, TikTok and Alphabet did not respond to BBC inquiries seeking reaction to the settlement.
Snap is still a defendant in other social media addiction cases that have been consolidated in the court.
The closely watched cases could challenge a legal theory that social media companies have used to shield themselves.
They have long argued that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 protects them from liability for what third parties post on their platforms.
But plaintiffs argue that the platforms are designed in a way that leaves users addicted through choices that affect their algorithms and notifications.
The social media companies have said the plaintiffs’ evidence falls short of proving that they are responsible for alleged harms such as depression and eating disorders.
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