The Antwerp rough diamond trade showed significant improvements in export and import, although polished trade continued to show weakness according to recently released April trade figures from Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).
The rough trade surged 32 percent in value and 39 percent in volume compared to April 2015. The polished diamond trade faced more headwinds, declining slightly as compared to April last year. The United States imported and exported fewer yet more valuable diamonds, while the UAE displayed an opposite trend.
During April, Antwerp imported and exported nearly 18.75 million carats of rough diamonds worth US$2.5 billion. Compared to the figures from April 2015, exports of rough diamonds increased almost 30 percent in volume and value. On the import side, AWDC noted no less than a 50-percent increase in volume and 34-percent rise in value. Compared to March 2016, the value of the rough trade in April increased 19 percent with four-percent more rough diamonds traded.
A total of US$1.8 billion in polished diamonds were traded in Antwerp in April. The polished diamond trade was clearly exceeded by the rough diamond trade. The volume of imported polished diamonds rose 1.5 percent, but declined 7.5 percent in value compared to April 2015. Exports of polished diamonds fell six percent in volume and 13.6 percent in value as compared to a year prior.
AWDC also pointed out that while the volume of imported polished diamonds from the United States declined by 22 percent, their value actually increased 14 percent. The same trend is repeated on the export side, showing that the trade is focused on high-value stones. Trade with the UAE highlighted a different picture which involves large volumes of less valuable stones. Imports from the UAE increased 100 percent in volume as compared to April 2015, while the value of that trade declined 11 percent. This is confirmed on the export side as a one-percent decline in volume resulted in a 24-percent decline in value.
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