Economy
The economy has a direct influence on the UK jewellery trade, affecting consumer spending, material costs, and business confidence across the sector. For jewellers, manufacturers, and suppliers, staying informed on economic trends is vital to planning and resilience. Jewellery Focus provides expert coverage of economic developments impacting the trade, including inflation, interest rates, consumer confidence, and supply chain challenges. Our reporting helps jewellery professionals understand the wider market forces shaping their business environment.
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Feb- 2016 -11 FebruaryEconomy
Gold demand resilient in 2015 says World Gold Council
Global gold demand in 2015 was virtually flat compared with 2014 at 4,212 tonnes (t), according to the World Gold Council’s latest Gold Demand Trends report. Despite a challenging start to the year, gold demand rebounded in the second half of 2015 as a result of sustained buying from central banks…
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2 FebruaryEconomy
Polished diamond prices rise for third consecutive month
Prices of polished diamonds have continued to rise in January as shortages continued to support the market, which also saw a boost from the holiday season. That is according to the latest RapNet Diamond Index (RAPI) which found the price of 1-carat, GIA-graded diamonds rose 0.9% during the month. RAPI…
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Dec- 2015 -23 DecemberAnalysis
ANALYSIS: New business opportunities
In the third instalment of his series about the ‘Changing Face of Contemporary Jewellery’, JACK MEYER explores the new potential business models and opportunities opened up by recent advances in e-commerce and 3D printing.[divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Recently I read a pair of articles from InStore Magazine, wherein the writer…
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23 DecemberAnalysis
RIDING HIGH: Will the gold price ever return to its pre-recession levels?
This year has been defined by a sense that we have finally escaped the clutches of recession. But with China’s growth slowing dramatically and stock markets gripped by panic in recent weeks, some are suggesting we’re on the verge of another, much worse, crash. MICHAEL NORTHCOTT explores where we currently…
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15 DecemberEconomy
Shop vacancy rates continue to fall in November
The number of vacant shops in Britain has continued to fall in November to 12.7% – the lowest level since February 2010. That is according to the latest data from the Local Data Company (LDC) which found the overall vacancy rate (retail and leisure) was down 0.3% when compared with…
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14 DecemberEditor's Blog
Every reason for Christmas cheer
The industry has done a good job of holding steady and ending a decade of contraction this year. The hallmarking figures graph ‘bottomed-out’ showing modest but definite increases in almost every month of the last 12. If you take the year-to-date from the latest figures available, we are only down…
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14 DecemberEconomy
Black Friday hits high street footfall
Footfall in November was 2.1% lower than a year ago, as Black Friday shoppers turned to online shopping instead of the high street. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard Footfall and Vacancies Monitor found the fall was significantly below the 0.2% decline in October and underperformed the three-month average…
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Nov- 2015 -18 NovemberEconomy
UK jewellery exports via Heathrow up 18%
The value of jewellery exported via Heathrow airport has increased by 18% over the past two years, according to new figures. The UK customs data released by Heathrow, and analysed by management consultants Seabury, found jewellery to be the third most valuable export travelling via the London-based airport at £3bn.…
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Oct- 2015 -19 OctoberEconomy
Consumer confidence at four-year high in Q3
Consumer confidence has reached a four-year high in the third quarter of 2015, according to the latest Deloitte Consumer Tracker. The quarterly survey of 3,000 UK consumers said that consumers have shrugged off the turmoil seen in the global financial markets during the period. Consumer confidence rose by 2%, despite…
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15 OctoberInternational
Alrosa president ‘concerned’ over synthetic diamonds
Andrey Zharkov, president of Russian diamond mining company Alrosa, has warned that the diamond industry is suffering from reputation risks due to synthetic stones. Speaking at the World Diamond Council (WDC) in Moscow on Tuesday, October 13, Zharkov said that the industry should be concerned by “growing occasions” on the…
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