Polished diamond markets still fragile during first quarter. (Polished Exports).(Statistical...

While overall exports of polished diamonds during the first quarter of 2002 were up when compared to the same three-month period a year earlier, the increase was entirely due to the very strong sales that were reported in January, when they rose 19.5 percent from the amount reported in January 2001, to reach $556.6 million, after returned goods had been accounted for. In February net polished exports slipped by 1.3 percent in U.S. dollar terms, when compared to the figure reported a year before, to stand at $390.1 million. In March an even greater decline was reported, with $382.5