RAPAPORT PRESS RELEASE, January 3, 2019, New York... The diamond trade ended 2018 with greater uncertainty than at the beginning of the year. Diamond prices softened in the second half amid fears the US-China trade war would impact discretionary spending. Sentiment softened as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 6% for the year, with concerns that investors would experience a negative wealth effect. Tighter credit in India and rising demand for lab-grown diamonds contributed to the trade's caution. To stimulate growth, the industry must amplify its efforts to modernize and navigate the changing consumer landscape, according to the latest issue of the Rapaport Research Report. Addressing some of the challenges has helped improve diamond-market conditions. The RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI?,,?) for 1-carat diamonds rose 0.7% in 2018. Good US and Chinese demand in the first six months buoyed the index to its first annual growth since 2011. The 1-carat RAPI fell 2.6% in the second half as weak currencies in India and China slowed trading.
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