In a surprising move, Botswana President Masisi yesterday left the country to join industry stakeholders at the 2024 JCK Las Vegas show. Botswana finds itself in the middle of a perfect storm of challenges: De Beers' parent company Anglo American recently became the target of potential take-over bids, which led to Anglo announcing plans to spin off its diamond business.
Since March 2022, both the polished diamond import and diamond retail market have taken a toll from a new wave of Covid-19 pandemic in China, as the local administrations nationwide have strengthened preventive and control measures.
According to Richard Duffy, CEO of mining company Petra Diamonds, the long-predicted supply squeeze is being reflected over all diamond categories. This would mark a structural change in the diamond market, with increasing prices creating a robust and supportive market.
Duffy points out the current strong demand pull into an inventory pipeline where inventories are largely depleted. With a very low ability of suppliers to provide inventory, this will result in higher demand than supply and thus increase prices over the entire value chain.
In ‘A Brilliant Recovery Shapes Up, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) and leading consultancy agency Bain & Company look at the pandemic’s effects, the industry’s impressive recovery, and the possibilities ahead.