New Delhi, April 15 -- Cement manufacturers have entered FY26 on a firm footing, aided by price hikes in April, according to dealer channel checks by various brokerages. The all-India average cement price rose to Rs.357 per bag in April, up from Rs.338 in March, as per Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

Regionally, prices rose by an average Rs.40 per bag month-on-month in the southern market and by Rs.20 in the east. In the north, west, and central regions, the increase ranged from Rs.8 to Rs.15 per bag.

If these price hikes sustain, they could significantly lift profitability across the sector. After all, this comes at a time when costs of key inputs such as imported petroleum coke and coal have edged higher, stoking concerns about marg...