Certified diamond prices fell an average 3.6 percent in the first half of 2012, according to the latest statistics from online trading service RapNet.
In June, the fall was particularly pronounced, with the price of 1 ct. stones declining 13.7 percent from the year before, according to the service’s RapNet Diamond Index.
The company noted that the market in the U.S. remains steady but selective. However, demand in the Far East and India has stalled and industry liquidity has dried up with the collapse of the Indian rupee. Rough trading has mostly halted, the company said, with DTC sightholders rejecting their allocations.
The company expects demand in the second half to be “challenging” for the industry, with prices coming under pressure as problems persist in the Far East and India.
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