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Jun- 2015 -1 JuneCurrent Affairs
‘Tax freedom day’ falls on 31st May
This year’s Tax Freedom Day, the day when Britons stop working to pay their taxes and start earning for themselves, falls on 31st May, according to Adam Smith Institute calculations. The Institute estimates that Britons will work 150 days this year solely to pay their taxes. This is one day…
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1 JuneEvents
TH March to feature in BBC documentary
Jewellery insurance brokers TH March has announced it will appear on a BBC TV documentary about insurance claims. The documentary series, Claimed and Shamed, is now in its fifth series and looks at the “ever-growing problem” of insurance fraud, often featuring “outlandish” claimants as they’re caught on camera. TH March…
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May- 2015 -29 MayEconomy
Consumer confidence falls in May
Consumer confidence fell in May after holding steady in April at its highest level since 2002, according to new figures from research firm GFK. GFK’s latest Consumer Confidence Barometer decreased three points to 1 this month, with all five of the measures used to calculate the index reporting decreases. The…
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29 MayEvents
The Duchess of Cornwall receives student-designed Livery Badge
The Duchess of Cornwall, Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plaisterers, was presented with a new Livery Badge at Plaisterers’ Hall, London, on Wednesday, May 27. The jewel was designed by Joshua Gane, a 19-year-old trainee on the foundation programme at the Goldsmiths’ Centre in Clerkenwell London, and was…
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29 MayEconomy
UK sales boost Signet Q1 results
Jewellery retail giant Signet has reported a strong first quarter with sales up 3.6% on a like-for-like basis in the three months to May 2, 2015. The group’s UK division, which includes Ernest Jones and H Samuel, saw sales rise 6.2% totalling £95.8m. The results also reflect the addition of…
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28 MayE-Commerce
Online checkout abandonment reaches record low in Q1 2015
Checkout abandonment rates for UK online retail sites fell to a record low in the Q1 of 2015, with just 26% dropping out at the checkout stage. This is according to the latest results from the IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmarking study which said the average checkout abandonment rate in 2013…
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28 MayInternational
Strong dollar hits Tiffany & Co first-quarter sales
Tiffany & Co has reported a 5% drop in global sales in the quarter ended April 30, 2015, which it is attributing largely to the strong US dollar affecting conversion from international sale prices. Worldwide net sales of $962 million (£626.6m) were 5% below the previous year. However, the firm stressed that…
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28 MayInternational
Big 7 diamond miners to form association
Seven of the world’s leading diamond mining companies have announced plans to form a new Diamond Producers Association (DPA). The founding members – ALROSA, De Beers, Rio Tinto, Dominion Diamond Corporation, Lucara Diamond Corporation, Petra Diamonds, and Gem Diamonds – said they will work together to “support the development of…
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27 MayEconomy
High street footfall up 4.4% over bank holiday weekend
High streets have received a welcome boost over the bank holiday weekend, with footfall across the UK up 4.4% year-on-year. This is according to new figures from retail intelligence firm Springboard which found Saturday was the strongest day as families were “out in force” on the first day of the…
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26 MayInternational
VIDEO: Largest ever man-made diamond to be unveiled at JCK
The International Gemological Institute (IGI) of Hong Kong has certified what it believes is the world’s largest HPTP-grown colourless diamond. The 10.02 carat Square Emerald Cut stone was fashioned from a record-breaking, 32.26-carat piece of man-made rough, grown by St. Petersburg-based New Diamond Technology LLC, in less than 300 hours.…
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