U.S. Polished Diamond Imports Shrink 13% in December
To $1.345 billion...U.S. Polished diamond imports plunged 12.6 percent year on year in December to $1.345 billion, while polished exports fell only 2.7 percent to $1.246 billion.
The U.S. registered net imports of only $99 million compared with $258 million in December 2012. The average price per carat for diamond imports rose 1.9 percent to $1,848.
Rough diamond imports, however, surged 86.5 percent in December to $97 million marking the greatest value since December 2007 when rough imports stood at $104 million. Rough diamond exports jumped 38.5 percent to $54 million, leaving net imports of $43 million compared with only $14 million one year ago.
The nation’s net diamond account in December, reflecting the difference between imports and exports, plummeted 47.8 percent to $142 million.
Polished diamond imports for 2012 fell 9.5 percent year on year to $19.637 billion, while exports dropped by 6.7 percent to $17.779 billion, leaving net imports of $3.049 billion and that was down from $3.911 billion in 2011. Rough imports plunged 12.7 percent to $550 million and rough exports contracted by 17.2 percent to $351 million, however, net imports were about the same as one year earlier at $202 million.
For the calendar year, the U.S. recorded a net diamond account of $3.251 billion, down 21 percent from 2011.
By: JewelryOurs
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