Antwerp’s rough diamond imports rise 5.61% in H1’16

Antwerp reported a moderate rise in its diamond trade in the period from January to June 2016. The period recorded 111.1 million carats of rough and polished diamonds being traded on the Antwerp diamond market, as compared to 102.8 million carats in the first half of 2015.

The polished diamond trade had a more stable performance although lower than last year, with 6.2 million carats of polished diamonds, valued at more than 13 billion dollars, being traded in Antwerp.

The rough trade increased as compared to 2015, wherein over 104.9 million carats worth 13.2 billion dollars of rough diamonds were traded.

Rough diamond imports rose 5.61 percent in comparison to last year, resulting in a 2.44 percent increase in value. Compared to the first six month of last year, the volume of rough diamond exports increased 12.90 percent, with their value increasing 4.80 percent.

The polished diamond trade figures followed approximately the same pattern as that of rough diamonds. During the first half of the year, 10.83 percent fewer polished diamonds were imported than last year, leading to a 9.49 percent decline in value. On the export side, was a dip of 8.78 percent in carats traded and an 8.41 percent decline in value. AWDC noted that the rough diamond market is on a slow recovery although the polished diamond trade is still on a rough road; yet it was too soon to draw long-term conclusions.