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Antwerp’s Trade Slows in 2017
Feb 7, 2018 4:59 AM
By Rapaport News
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RAPAPORT... Belgium’s diamond trade declined last year, with the nation
seeing a drop in shipments of both polished and rough stones.
Polished exports fell 3.4% to $11.4 billion for the year,
the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) said Monday. By volume, exports slid 8% to 5 million carats, while the average price climbed 4.6% to
$2,276 per carat. Net polished exports — representing exports minus imports —
slumped 34% to $269.2 million.
“While demand for polished diamonds worldwide was under
pressure…we note that demand from the most important markets, namely China and
the US, gradually recovered,” the AWDC said. “Consequently, the polished-diamond
market continues to experience difficulties, but the decline is less pronounced
than last year.”
While rough imports dropped 11% to $10.73 billion, they jumped 6% in volume terms to 95.3
million carats, reflecting a 16% slide in the average price to $113 per carat.
Demand for smaller, cheaper rough stones grew last year, resulting in a decline
in the average price across the global market, the organization explained.
Rough exports slipped 0.9% to $12.61 billion, while net
rough imports — referring to imports minus exports — stood at negative $1.88
billion, versus negative $638.4 million a year ago.
The country’s net diamond account, representing total
exports minus total imports, more than doubled to $2.15 billion, from $1.05
billion a year ago.
Image: Tyler Allen
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Tags:
Antwerp, Antwerp World Diamond Centre, AWDC, Belgium, China, net diamond account, net polished exports, Polished Diamonds, polished exports, Rapaport News, US
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