Pakistani cement marker, Attock Cement, has reported an increase of 4.9% in pre-tax profits to PKR4.47 billion, as sales for the financial year ending 30 June strengthened. Net sales were PRK14.74 billion, compared to PKR13.92 billion in FY2016, on the back of an uptick in cement dispatches to 2.08 million t. The company s costs were mixed: energy costs rose as the coal price jumped 41% year-on-year in the final quarter. However, the company benefitted from lower transport costs, as more of its cement was sold into the local market, amid a contraction in exports.