Saudi Cement Q2 net profit jumps 36 pct

DUBAI, July 14 (Reuters) - Saudi Cement Co posted a net profit of 290.2 million riyals ($77.4 million) for the second quarter on Saturday, a rise of 36 percent from a year earlier.

It cited growing domestic demand for cement and clinker. The Saudi construction sector has been boosted over the past year by ramped-up government spending, including a pledge to build a quarter of a million new houses as well as schools and hospitals. ($1 = 3.7502 Saudi riyals) (Reporting by Amena Bakr; Editing by Andrew Torchia)