Belgium’s polished diamond exports up 4.7% in July

Antwerp’s diamond sector recorded a stable performance in July 2014, according to AWDC.

Polished diamond exports rose in value by around 4.47 percent (on y-o-y basis) to $1.382 billion, with the average price of the polished diamond exported dropping 3.7 percent to $1,828 per carat. Volume of exported goods rose by 8.51 percent. Key export markets included Hong Kong, UAE and the United States.

Rough diamond trade continued well. Volume of rough diamond exports rose by 1.22 percent while in value terms it rose 16.37 percent. Imports of rough diamonds in value terms rose 20 percent. AWDC attributes these strong value increases were the result of the currently strong rough prices.

Polished diamond imports dropped 5.24 percent (on y-o-y basis) in volume terms and rose 9.21 percent in value. The increase in value of imports according to AWDC implies that fewer but more expensive goods became available on the Antwerp market, and which originated to a large extent from India, Hong Kong and UAE.