Reversing the trend seen in earlier months, rough exports from Antwerp dipped by 4.86% in value terms during May, while polished exports showed a rise of 5.03% in the same month, according to figures released by the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) this week.

In May 2018, the Antwerp centre exported over 11.9 million carats of rough at a value of US$ 1.18 billion, a year-on-year fall of 8.01% in terms of volume, and of 4.86% in value terms. Rough imports dropped more steeply, by24.09% in volume terms and 14.34% in value terms – with 6.66 mn carats of rough being imported at US$ 905 million – as compared to a year earlier.

During May 2018, the Antwerp centre exported 439,380 cts of polished at a value of US$ 1.18bn, a rise of 3.94% in volume terms and of 5.03% in value terms year-on-year. During the month, the centre imported 449,743 cts of polished at a value of US$ 996 mn, registering a fall of 14.03% in volume terms and a very marginal dip of 0.75% in value terms as compared to May 2017.

During the first five months of 2018, rough exports totalled 55.77 mn cts at US$ 5.76 bn, remaining virtually flat with growth of 0.27 % in volume terms and a slightly stronger rise of 6.41% in value terms, while rough imports of 41.48 mn cts at US$ 5.02 bn were similarly up by a marginal 0.95% y-o-y in volume terms and a somewhat higher 7.51% in value terms.

Polished exports during Jan-May 2018 stood at 2.11 mn cts at US$ 5.09 bn, almost flat with a 0.18% rise in volume and 0.64% increase in value, while polished imports of 2.61 mn cts  at US$ 5.02 bn, were up 4.29% in volume and 0.74% in value terms y-o-y.