The end of the first half of 2012 resulted in Hong Kong’s polished diamond imports dropping in both value and volume. The volume of polished diamond imports dipped 29 percent to 10.316 million carats, and in value terms it dropped less than 1 percent (on y-o-y basis) to $8.45 ‎billion, reports say. The ‎average price increased 40 percent to $818.77 per carat.‎

Exports of polished diamonds decreased 7 percent to $6.05 billion. The country's net polished imports (excess of imports over exports) rose 22 percent to $2.4 billion.

Rough diamond imports in the six month period decreased 10 percent to $880 million and rough diamond exports increased 22 percent to $966.2 million. The net rough imports(valued as imports less exports) stood at a deficit of $86.2 million (surplus of $181.2 million in the same period last year.)

The country's net diamond account (valued as total imports of polished and rough less ‎total exports), rose 8 percent to $2.31 billion.