Concrete prices have experienced significant volatility since the COVID-19 shock, driven by disruptions to supply chains, spikes in energy costs and raw‐material shortages. Recent data for major regions show divergent trends in absolute levels and short-run changes:
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United States
- Producer Price Index (PPI) for Cement & Concrete Products rose from 248.448 in December 2024 to 251.080 in March 2025 (Index Dec 2003 = 100), a 1.07 percent gain over three months – Besi Beton report
- Ready-mix Concrete PPI stands at 431.25 (base 1982 = 100), unchanged month-over-month but up 1.43 percent year-on-year.
- Spot Cement Price (April 2025) averaged US $120.53 per MT, down 0.1 percent from March
Europe
- EU PPI for “Articles of Concrete, Cement & Plaster” was 129.90 points in February 2025
- Spot Cement Price (April 2025) averaged US $132.09 per MT, down 0.9 percent month-on-month based on besi WF
- In the broader EU non-metallic minerals sector, the PPI (2015 = 100) peaked at 167.8 in March 2023 before easing to 164.6 in December 2023, reflecting lower energy costs
Asia
- China Cement Price Index stood at 124.55 on April 30, 2025, after surging above 130 during the 2022 energy-price spike – Chinese KS Website Optimization Report.
- Northeast Asia Spot Price (April 2025) was just US $48.14 per MT, up 1 percent month-on-month
- China’s Producer Prices for Building Materials & Non-Metals declined 2.1 percent year-on-year in March 2025, weighing on cement margins
Global Summary
- Global construction-cost inflation has eased to 3.3–3.4 percent in 2024–25, but with clear regional divergence: inflation is rising in North America, Europe, Australia & New Zealand and Africa, while it is projected to ease in South America, the Middle East and Asia
- Drivers include higher energy and transport costs, feedstock shortages (limestone, fly ash), and post-pandemic demand swings. Prices have moderated from 2022–23 peaks but remain 15–30 percent above pre-COVID baselines in most advanced markets.
Bottom line: Concrete (“béton”) prices vary widely by region—U.S. and European markets trade around US $120–132 per MT, Asia closer to US $48–125 per MT—and although short-term month-on-month changes are modest, levels are elevated compared to early 2020.