Belgium's Polished Diamond Exports -12% in August

RAPAPORT... Belgium's polished diamond exports fell 11.7 percent year on year to $484 million in August, according to data provided by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre. Polished diamond imports fell 7 percent to $833 million, leaving net exports with a deficit of $349 million -- nearly identical to the deficit one year earlier.

Belgium's rough diamond imports in August rose 29.9 percent to $1.094 billion and rough diamond exports jumped 35.9 percent to $675 million. Net rough diamond imports rose 21 percent to $419 million and the net diamond account in August, reflecting the difference between net imports and exports, recorded a deficit of $768 million, up 10.8 percent from one year ago.

During the first eight months of the year, Belgium's polished diamond exports rose 5 percent to $9.433 billion, while polished imports rose 5 percent to $9.26 billion, leaving net exports down 11.7 percent year on year to $173 million. Rough diamond imports increased 14.7 percent to $10.179 billion and rough exports rose 10.4 percent to $10.614 billion, leaving net imports with a deficit of $435 million, down from a deficit of $755 million one year earlier.  Belgium's net diamond account for the January through August period contracted 36 percent year on year to $608 million.