Further indications of a gradual turnaround in the industry mood were in evidence as both rough and polished exports from the Antwerp centre rose in value terms during the month of May, according to figures released yesterday by Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC). While polished exports during the month rose 4.5%, rough exports posted a stronger 20.77% growth in value.

During May, 480,351 carats of polished diamonds were exported at a value of US$ 1.19 billion, a year-on-year rise of 4.52% in value terms, nothwithstanding the 1.27% fall in volume terms. In the same month, 500,109 carats were imported at a value of US$ 0.92 billion, down 2.15% in voulme terms but up 6.83% in value terms as compared to May 2015. 

Similarly, during the month, 83,55,514.2 carats of rough diamonds were exported at a value of US$ 1.28 billion, a rise of 20.77% in value terms, and an increase of 9.89% in terms of volume, as compared to March 2015, while 77,32,689 carats of rough were imported at a value of US$ 1.29 billion, up by 1.25% and 17.82% respectively y-o-y.

For the first five months of 2016, cumulative polished exports stood at 24,36,719 carats at a value of US$ 5.74 billion, and were down 8.54% and 6.30% in volume and value terms respectively. During this period, polished imports also remained weaker than a year earlier—27,06,582 carats were imported  at a value of US$ 5.23 billion, a drop of 11.40% and 8.76% in volume and value respectively.

On the other hand for the period Jan-May 2016, cumulative rough exports reached 489,92,714 valued at US$ 5.74 billion, a rise of 20.50% in volume terms and 9.30% in value terms.  During this period, rough imports also improved in volume terms, standing at 424,96,460 carats with a value of US$ 5.56 billion, which represented a rise of 10.76% in volume and of 5.21% in value.