Antwerp down for '09 despite strong December |
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1/14/2010 7:22:03 PM
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Antwerp, Belgium--After a difficult year of double-digit declines, Antwerp, Belgium saw a bit of recovery in its import-export figures last month, according to a report in the Antwerp Facets newsletter, a service of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC).
Imports and exports of both polished and rough diamonds rose sharply in December 2009 as compared to December 2008 in the global trading center.
The report points out that the December 2008 figures are reflective of the global economic crisis, but says that last month's statistics, "nonetheless, compare favorably and show a strong rise in demand for goods."
According to data published by the AWDC's diamond office, Belgian polished exports in December totaled 687,791 carats valued at $779.5 million, increases of 18.5 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively.
For the year as a whole, Belgium exported 7.28 million carats of polished goods worth $8.63 billion, decreases of 16.5 percent and 30.0 percent, respectively as compared to January through December 2008.
According to the report, although the United States remained Belgium's main polished diamond market in 2009, it accounted for just 27.5 percent of Belgium's polished diamonds in value and just 13.9 percent in volume.
Hong Kong was second, taking in 21.5 percent in dollar terms and 20.2 percent in volume. Israel remained the third-larger importer of Belgium's polished diamonds, with 9.9 percent in dollar value and 7.3 percent in volume. The United Arab Emirates, India, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, China, Italy and France followed.
In terms of polished diamond imports, Belgium bought 563,879 carats in December, a 5.3 percent increase from December 2008. The value of the stones was $640.8 million, a 1.6 percent increase.
For the year, polished diamond imports were down 23.6 percent in carats and 34.2 in dollar value, according to the report.
Meanwhile, rough diamond exports soared in December, rising 264 percent to 11.96 million carats.
The stones were valued at $851.7 million, a 176.5 percent rise over December 2008.
For the year as a whole, rough exports declined by 16.5 percent to 96.5 million carats, and 31.0 percent in financial terms, to $7.40 billion.
Rough diamond imports in December totaled 6.57 million carts worth $483.8 million, an increase of 46.1 percent and 100.3 percent respectively.
For 2009 as a whole, rough diamond imports declined 22.9 percent to 85.6 million carats and by 39.2 percent in value terms to $6.37 billion. |
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