Trade volume on Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE), including import, export and intermember transactions, reached $1.217 billion during the first half of 2010, up 76 percent year on year.

The Diamond Administration of China (DAC) added that the import volume of diamonds listed under the normal trade category reached $577 million, an increase of 92 percent year on year, strengthening China as the second-largest diamond consuming market after the U.S. Japan, the third largest diamond market in the world, imported $334 million during the same period. Intermember transaction among SDE members remained flat at $60.87 million.

During the first half of the year, 25 new members joined SDE, bringing total membership to 267. The SDE moved to the new China Diamond Exchange Center building late in 2009. In October 2010, SDE will celebrate its 10th anniversary.

DAC contributed the increase to the buoyant domestic demand to the more legit and regulated market environment.

In preparation for the World Expo 2010 opened on May 1 in Shanghai, DAC organized an exhibition and auction with the World Expo theme from February 5 to 7, including diamond jewelry and jade products, introducing diamonds as special licensed product first time ever at World Expo. Ten diamond companies and more than 500 designs of diamond jewelry specially licensed by the World Expo 2010 have been introduced to the market ever since.