De Beers rough diamond prices up 16 pct in 2008

LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - De Beers has boosted rough diamond prices by 16 percent so far this year due to strong demand, the firm said on Tuesday.

De Beers, 45 percent owned by mining group Anglo American (AAL.L), said in July it was cautious about developments in the second half due to a downturn in the United States, the top diamond jewellery market.

The firm's marketing unit, the Diamond Trading Company (DTC), has increased prices for rough, or unpolished, diamonds several times this year. The latest 16 percent cumulative figure included a further hike in August, a statement said.

The DTC said in July it had increased prices by 5 percent on top of previous price hikes of 8.5 percent this year.

"So far during 2008, DTC has seen strong and continuing consumer demand for most categories of polished diamonds, especially in the larger goods," Mahiar Borhanjoo, executive director of DTC sales and client services, said.

"The DTC takes a long term, sustainable view on its pricing and decisions are influenced first and foremost by demand for polished (gems)."

Last month, De Beers said a difficult retail market in the United States, which accounts for around half of all diamond jewellery sales, was dampening sales of cheaper, mass market items using lower quality gems.

Buoyant growth in China, India, Russia and the Middle East, however, was helping to balance some of the U.S. impact, it said in July when releasing first half results.

De Beers, which controls around 40 percent of the rough diamond market, posted a 10 percent rise in first half rough diamond sales to $3.3 billion and increased its contribution to the underlying earnings of Anglo by 6.4 percent to $166 million. (Reporting by Eric Onstad; Editing by Paul Bolding)