Webinar: Bubble Trouble?

RAPAPORT... The diamond market is showing contradictory signs as to whether the recent positive growth trend will continue for the remainder of this year and into 2022. Polished-diamond prices continue to rise even though inventory levels are also increasing, fueling concerns that the uptrend may not be sustainable. Meanwhile, diamond jewelry sales have bounced back and are exceeding pre-pandemic levels, suggesting the US recovery is sufficient to maintain growth in the short term. In addition, demand is expected to continue to outstrip supply since rough production has dropped, as Rapaport Senior Analyst Avi Krawitz explained in the quarterly Diamond Trends Webinar last week.During the presentation, Krawitz drew a comparison between the coronavirus crisis and the 2008 financial downturn. In both cases, there was a recovery afterward, but in 2008, this led to a bubble that eventually burst. Krawitz presented five factors that suggested this time might be different. View the full webinar here:Image: Shutterstock.