An Industry Rushing Towards Massive Default?
November 13, 03 by Chaim Even-ZoharThe diamond industry’s banking indebtedness rose in the past 12 months by 26% to almost $9 billion. As the New York debt has been restated (resulting in a 44% increase), it is fair to look at Antwerp, Tel Aviv and Mumbai alone. In those three countries the debt has risen “only” 21%! From January 1, 2002 until August 2003 – in... Read More...
UN Report May Inflict Great Damage To The Development And Rehabilitation Of Post-Conflict Diamond Resources – And Drive Good Companies And Investment Money Away From Africa.
November 06, 03 by Chaim Even-ZoharWhen a so-called United Nations Panel of Experts publishes a tainted report, flawed by weird... Read More...
A Mistaken Mission Of The IMF: Estimating Diamond Smuggling To Set Fiscal Policies In Africa
October 30, 03 by Chaim Even-ZoharThe “ideal” taxation rate on diamond exports is just at the precise threshold at which potential smugglers will not have sufficient incentive to smuggle, so that fiscal revenues will be optimum. Read More...
The DTC Brokers: Loyalties And Liabilities
October 23, 03 by Chaim Even-ZoharOne or more disgruntled DTC sightholders have now initiated legal steps against their DTC brokers. Reportedly, one broker is being sued for compensatory damages and for return of a few years of brokerage fees, on grounds that he preferred the interests of the DTC over the best interest of the client – who pays for his services. Read More...
Diamond Mining And Aboriginal Rights: The Case Of Alexkor
October 16, 03 by Chaim Evan Zohar“Impoverished South African tribesmen were awarded a lucrative diamond mine stolen from their forefathers,” reads a newspaper headline. “The Nama tribe won back land including the Alexkor mine at Alexander Bay and the right to be compensated for diamonds mined since the first... Read More...
Synthetic Diamonds Are Giving Industry Yellow Fever
October 09, 03 by Chaim Even-Zohar“We are seeing a sudden and rather unexplained increase of yellowish goods in our production,” was a rather quite innocent remark made by one of the world’s largest diamond manufacturers. However, I was quite shocked and upset. Could it mean, I wondered, that, unwittingly, huge... Read More...
“Socking” Thy Colleagues Into Action…
October 02, 03 by Chaim Even-ZoharA few weeks ago we mused in this column about a hypothetical Mr. Disgruntled and about the strategies he might follow to achieve his objectives - provided such objectives are well defined. It was implied that if "creating fear" on the other side is intended, then a "controlled irrationality" could do wonders. Now, we have a real-life Mr. Disgruntled. Read More...
De Beers Rescinds Snap Lake Rough Supply Commitment To Canadian Cutters; Civic Groups Call On Ottawa Government Not To Issue A Mining License Without A Rough Supply Guarantee
September 25, 03 by Chaim Even-ZoharA serious rift has developed between Aboriginal groups, the Government of the Northwest Territories and De Beers after De Beers Canada... Read More...
Playing Poker with Anti-Trust Law
September 18, 03 by Chaim Even-ZoharThe EC approved Supplier of Choice understandings allow ex-sightholders to initiate legal action to seek compensation for being dropped as DTC clients. De Beers has anticipated all along that a number of ex-sightholders may take action and, if anything, De Beers is probably quite surprised that, so far, not a single party – at least as far as we know... Read More...
US Polished Imports Stagnate; India Sells More Diamond-Set Jewelry Rather Than Loose Stones; Trade Figures Continue To Be Questionable; Especially The Rough Imports From The UK And SA Seem 'Suspicious'
September 11, 03 by Chaim Even ZoharDon’t trust diamond trade statistics, especially when they originate from the United States. That... Read More...
| < Earlier | Later > |