The United States reported unchanged polished diamond exports data on the year in January which were flat at $1.25 billion, according to government data.
However, polished imports by volume dropped 8 percent on the year to 840,669 carats, with the average price rising 8 percent to $2,099 per carat, according to the Rapaport website. US polished imports came to $1.77 billion in January.
Polished exports, decreasing by just 1 percent to $1.25 billion, created net polished imports 1 percent higher at $517 million.
In rough diamond imports, they grew almost fourfold to $120 million from $31 million a year before, while rough exports more than tripled to $56 million. Net rough imports leapt to $64 million from $13 million a year before, the report commented.
The U.S. net diamond account for January, representing total imports minus total exports, rose 11 percent to $582 million, Rapaport concluded.
