ICEX's traded value for 1-carat diamond contract hit Rs 406 cr

Sebi-regulated Indian Commodity Exchange (ICEX) today said that the total traded value of its 1-carat (CT) diamond futures contract launched in November has clocked Rs 405.6 crore till date.
The 0.50 CT diamond contract clocked a total traded value of Rs 54.97 crore in the same period.
"The total traded quantity in March 2018 expiry of 1CT diamond since launch was was 1,250,580 lots valuing at Rs 405.6 crore and in 0.50CT diamond total traded quantity was 370,111 lots valuing at Rs 54.97 crore," ICEX said in a statement here.
The exchange said that it has completed successful settlement cycle on March 5 with consistent increase in turnover and volumes for both its diamond futures contracts of 1CT and 0.50CT, respectively.

In the March 2018 expiry, 67.96 carats of 1CT diamond and 31.81 carats of 0.50CT diamond were delivered by the exchange.
Total 99.77 carats of diamonds in both the futures contracts put together valuing Rs 2.77 crore were delivered in the recently concluded settlement cycle, it said.

The percentage of delivery against the total traded quantity combined together has been 0.61 per cent at par with international market.
During the time of March 2018 expiry, the spot and future price of diamonds converged, which is indicative of efficient price discovery of the underlying asset, the release said.
Sanjit Prasad, managing director and chief executive officer, ICEX, said successful completion of yet another settlement cycle with a consistently increasing turnover and volumes is indicative of the rising confidence of the industry in this organised market for diamonds.

"ICEX reached the psychological 100-carat mark for delivery, with all open interest positions towards contract expiry resulting in delivery at the end of March 2018 settlement cycle, which is a prove for the robustness of the platform," he added.