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by Will Purcell

The diamond and specialty minerals stocks box score on Friday was a mediocre 89-63-158 as the TSX Venture Exchange rose nine points to 614. Rough diamond prices remain dug in according to Paul Zimnisky's global rough diamond price index. Prices edged upward for the third week in a row, the best stretch since a comparable gain early last fall, and sufficient that Mr. Zimnisky's metaphorical trench of defence appears to be holding firm along the 124-point mark.

Mind you, the last trench -- a horizontal dashed line denoting flattish prices along the 136-point mark -- held sway from midsummer to mid-fall, only to collapse under a new onslaught of supply amid limited demand. Mr. Zimnisky nudged his index 0.2 point higher this week, and with no adjustments for tardy data, his chart shows a 0.1-per-cent increase this week and a 1-per-cent gain over the past month. Yes, prices are still under water in all comparisons longer than two months, but this is a start -- one hopes.

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