Asian Star Sales Slip Amid Weak Diamond Demand

Sales slumped at Indian diamond manufacturer Asian Star in the final three months of the year amid a weak market and an oversupply in the midstream.

Revenue on a consolidated basis — which includes subsidiaries in the US, Dubai and Hong Kong — fell 13% year on year to INR 6.98 billion ($84.1 million) in the company’s third fiscal quarter, which ended December 31, it reported last week. Sales slid 24% compared to the previous quarter. Net profit grew 37% to INR 182.5 million ($2.2 million).

Those figures reflected weak demand for diamonds in the US and Chinese markets, which discouraged jewelers from restocking. In China, gold jewelry was more popular throughout the period than those set with diamonds, according to Hong Kong jewelry retailers Chow Tai Fook and Luk Fook.

Revenue from the company’s diamond segment dropped 17% to INR 5.7 billion ($68.7 million), while sales of gold jewelry increased 9% to INR 1.74 billion ($20.9 million).