The polished diamond trade in Antwerp registered a dip in value terms during the month of Septmeber, while rough trade experienced a significant decline, according to figures released by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).

In September 2018, the centre exported over 8.47 million carats of rough at a value of US$ 961.6 million, a year-on-year dip of 21.20% in terms of volume, and a 12.70% fall in value terms. Rough imports declined by 23.21% in volume terms, and 17.39% in value terms – as 6.39 mn carats of rough were imported at US$ 806 million – as compared to a year earlier.

During September 2018, the Antwerp centre exported 426,557 cts of polished at a value of US$ 1.16 billion, a drop of 7.01% in volume terms and of 1.99% in value terms year-on-year. During the month, the centre imported 481,417 cts of polished at a value of US$ 805.93 mn, indicating a decline of 15.34% in volume terms and remaining flat with a very marginal 0.07% dip in value terms as compared to September 2017.

During the first nine months of 2018, rough exports totalled 90.64 mn cts at US$ 9.62 bn, which represents a small drop of 3.73% in volume terms and an equally small rise of 3.35% in value terms, while rough imports of 68.44 mn cts at US$ 8.28 bn were similarly down by 3.15% in volume terms y-o-y, but up by a smaller 2.58% in value terms.

Polished exports during Jan-Sept 2018 stood at 3.63 mn cts at US$ 8.88 bn, with a small 2.82% dip in volume, but a 2.21% increase in value, while polished imports of 4.49 mn cts  at US$ 9.03 bn, were up 3.14% in volume and 4.58% in value terms y-o-y.