Belgium Sees Slide in Polished Trade

RAPAPORT... Belgium's polished-diamond exports dropped in April,according to data from the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC). Polished exports decreased 7% year on year to $728.2 millionbut, by volume, rose 3% to 389,218 carats. The average price went down 10% to$1,871 per carat. The fall was mainly a result of a 60% slide in shipments tothe United Arab Emirates to $48.8 million and a 30% drop in exports toSwitzerland to $47.8 million. Those declines outweighed a 45% rise to $249.4million in the US, and a 15% spike in shipments to Hong Kong to $140.9 million. Polished imports fell 3% to $861.7 million, while netpolished exports - the excess of exports over imports - stood at negative$133.5 million, compared with negative $105.1 million a year ago. Rough imports soared 43% to $933.4 million, with roughexports climbing 17% to $1.05 billion. Net rough imports were negative $60million versus negative $209.1 million last year. The country's net diamond account - the sum of rough andpolished exports minus total imports - came to negative $73.5 million in Aprilcompared with $104 million the previous year. In the first four months of the year, polished exportsslipped 1% to $3.91 billion, while rough imports climbed 14% to $4.12 billion.