De Beers Group  announcing the value of rough diamond sales (Global Sightholder Sales and Auctions) for the fourth sales cycle of 2019, said the figure for the period stood at US$415 million (provisional). This compares to actual sales of US$581 million for Cycle 3, 2019; and sales worth US$ 554 million notched in the same period of the previous year.

 Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group, said: "Cycle four saw lower rough diamond sales against a backdrop of macroeconomic uncertainty, and as we enter a seasonally slower period for the industry with Indian factories closing temporarily for the traditional holiday period."