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Lafarge may unveil new cement sales goal July 31-CEO

Sat Jul 4, 2009 6:49pm IST
 
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AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, July 4 (Reuters) - France's Lafarge (LAFP.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) may revise its forecast for global cement sales in 2009 when it publishes interim results later this month, the head of the building materials giant said on Saturday.

Speaking on the sidelines of an economic forum in southern France, Bruno Lafont told reporters Lafarge was, for the time being, sticking to a forecast made in May for a drop of between 2 percent and 5 percent in global cement sales this year.

Lafarge had to lower an initial forecast for a full-year fall of as much of 3 percent as economic conditions continued to deteriorate, hitting construction activity worlwide.

"We will issue a new estimate if needed at the end of July. For the time being this is what I can say," Lafont said in English. The company publishes its results on July 31.

"Our forecast is a mix of developed countries, which are in a recession, and emerging markets that are overall slightly positive -- still negative in Central Europe but very positive in Asia, the Middle East and Africa," Lafont said.  Continued...

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