DIAMOND PAGE — De Beers’ CSO reports record sales

Sales of rough diamonds by the marketing arm of De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBRS-Q) netted the company a record US$2.8 billion for the first six months of 1997, an increase of 4.8% over the same period last year.

The Central Selling Organization attributes its record sales partly to an increased market share resulting from weaker supplies. Diamonds supplies from Russia were stalled by export licensing delays, whereas production from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo was affected by political strife.