Belgium saw an increase in polished trade, both in imports and exports, in June, continuing a modest upward trend for the sector this year. The rough trade slowed in June, but figures are up overall for the year to date.
Source: Antwerp World Diamond Centre; Rapaport calculations and archives
About the data: Belgium is usually a net exporter of polished diamonds. As such, net polished exports — representing polished exports minus polished imports — will normally be a positive number, though this year that has not always been the case. The nation is also a net exporter of rough. While Antwerp is home to some high-value manufacturing, its main role in the market is as a facilitator of rough-diamond trading, with companies from around the world coming to the city to buy rough. The net diamond account is total rough and polished exports minus total imports. It is Belgium’s diamond trade balance, and shows the added value the nation creates by exporting rough or manufacturing it into polished.
