Antwerp’s rough diamond trade up 32% in April

The Antwerp rough diamond trade in April 2015 as published by Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), saw a rise in rough diamond trade. Rough trade surged 32 percent in value and 39 percent in volume compared to April 2015. In April, Antwerp imported and exported nearly 18.75 million carats of rough diamonds worth $2.5 billion. Exports of rough diamonds increased nearly 30 percent on y-o-y basis in volume as well as value. Imports of rough diamonds valued no less than a 50 percent increase in volume and a 34 percent rise in value. Compared to March 2016, the value of the rough trade in April increased 19 percent (+ $390.6 million), with 4 percent more rough diamonds traded.

The polished diamond trade faced more headwinds, declining slightly as compared to April last year. Antwerp traded $1.8 billion worth of polished diamonds in April this year. Last month, the polished diamond trade was clearly exceeded by the rough diamond trade. The volume of imported polished diamonds rose 1.5 percent, but declined 7.5 percent in value compared to April 2015. Exports of polished diamonds fell 6 percent in volume and 13.6 percent in value as compared to a year prior.

Market-wise, the United States imported and exported fewer yet more valuable diamonds, while the United Arab Emirates displayed the opposite trend. The volume of imported polished diamonds from the United States declined by 22 percent, but increased in value by 14 percent. The same trend is repeated on the export side. Imports from UAE increased 100 percent in volume as compared to April 2015, and yet the value of that trade declined 11 percent in value. Exports dropped 1 percent in volume and 24 percent decline in value.

AWDC spokeswoman Margaux Donckier: "While we are certainly heeding the cautionary warnings about strong rough sales from the major miners and overly optimistic purchases from the middle of the pipeline, and are therefore not jumping to the conclusion that a full-blown diamond-industry recovery is underway, the results we have seen over the past few months are certainly cause for optimism. Antwerp is clearly the preferred global marketplace and bellwether of the industry, so if one wishes to know how the diamond industry is performing, look no further than Antwerp. Accordingly, we remain hopeful that the industry as a whole continues to achieve positive results."