Hong Kong's polished diamond imports rose 9.4 percent year on year to $14.948 billion for the first nine months of 2014, according to the Diamond Federation of Hong Kong, China Ltd. By volume, imports declined 4.2 percent to 16.22 million carats. Polished diamond exports jumped 17.7 percent to $10.472 billion, leaving net imports of $4.476 billion, down approximately 6 percent compared with the first nine months of 2013.

Rough diamond imports by value increased 16.1 percent year on year to $1.654 billion, while rough imports plummeted 36.9 percent by weight to 10.93 million carats. Rough exports, meanwhile, fell 13.4 percent to $1.757 billion, leaving net imports in a deficit of $103 million, compared with a deficit of $604 million one year ago.

Hong Kong's net diamond account, reflecting the difference between net imports and exports, improved to $4.373 billion compared with $4.17 billion in 2013.