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RAPAPORT...
U.S. polished diamond imports for the month of April fell nearly 17 percent year on year to $1.431 billion. The quantity of polished goods also dropped in April, by 13 percent, to 888,146 carats. Polished diamond exports fell 13 percent to $1.148 billion, leaving net polished imports of $283 million compared with $397 million in April 2011. Rough diamond imports decreased 25 percent year on year in April to $27 million and rough exports plunged 61 percent to $15 million. Rough diamond net imports therefore stood at $12 million compared with a deficit of $3 million one year ago. In all, the net diamond account for April in the U.S. dropped 24 percent to $298 million. For the first fourth months of 2012, the U.S. has imported $6.245 billion worth of polished diamonds and this represents a 9 percent year on year decline, while polished exports have fallen nearly 4 percent to $5.443 billion. However, net diamond imports for the January through April period have fallen substantially --by 35 percent year on year-- to $803 million. Rough diamond imports for the first four months were 30 percent lower at $147 million and rough exports dropped 13 percent to $125 million, leaving net imports of $22 million compared with $65 million in 2011. The U.S. registered a net diamond account for the first four months of 2012 of $825 million, or a 36 percent year on year decrease.
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