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Belgium’s Polished Trade Slows in July
Aug 8, 2017 8:08 AM
By Rapaport News
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RAPAPORT... A drop in exports to Hong Kong dented the Belgian
polished-diamond trade in July, according to data from the Antwerp World
Diamond Centre (AWDC).
Belgium’s total polished exports for the month fell 1% year
on year to $1.01 billion, with shipments to Hong Kong diving 39% to $131.9
million. Still, orders from the US — Belgium’s largest export market for
polished diamonds — partly offset that decline by rising 22% to $370.4 million,
while shipments to Israel increased 16% to $118 million, the recent figures
from the AWDC showed.
The total volume of polished exports dropped 9% to 480,158
carats, with the average price rising 9% to $2,107 per carat. Meanwhile,
polished imports fell 12% to $740.6 million, leaving net polished exports 48%
higher at $270.8 million.
The rough trade was down as well, with imports sliding 14% to $777.3 million and rough exports dipping 4% to $1.12 billion. Net rough imports stood at negative
$347.4 million — compared with negative $260.2 million a year earlier — as the
nation exported a greater value of rough than it imported.
Belgium’s July net diamond account, calculated as total
rough and polished exports minus total imports, jumped 40% to $618.2 million.
The decline in trade extended to the first seven months of
the year, during which polished exports fell 8% to $7.07 billion, while rough
imports dropped 13% to $6.45 billion.
Image: The Port House, Antwerp
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Tags:
Antwerp World Diamond Centre, AWDC, Belgium, exports, Hong Kong, imports, Israel, Polished Trade, polished-diamond trade, Rapaport News, US
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