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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Oct- 2015 -14 OctoberEvents
Mococo founders named Business People of the Year at local awards
Lee and Maureen Hooson, founders of jewellery retailer Mococo, have been named Independent Business People of the Year at the Merseyside Independent Business Awards. The husband-and-wife team and joint managing directors of the company scooped the accolade at a black tie ceremony held in Liverpool’s Titanic Hotel. Maureen said: “I’m…
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9 OctoberBrand Profiles
Interview with Scott Thomson, CEO of Carat*
Luxury fashion jewellery brand Carat* spent the latter half of 2014 expanding its footprint both in the UK and overseas. MICHAEL NORTHCOTT caught up with founder and CEO, Scott Thomson [divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″] Give us a 60-second roundup of what’s been going on in the last 12 months We’ve…
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5 OctoberCurrent Affairs
Local councils to receive control of business rates
Local councils are set to get control of business rates following a major overhaul of the system announced by George Osborne today. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference, Osborne announced that councils will be able to set their own level of rates, giving local authorities the freedom to compete with…
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5 OctoberEconomy
CBI: September retail sales grew faster than expected
Sales and orders grew at a stronger rate than had been expected in the year to September with the pace of growth expected to continue into October. This is according to the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) latest Distributive Trades Survey. The survey of 119 firms showed that sales volumes…
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Sep- 2015 -22 SeptemberInternational
Global diamond jewellery demand grew 3% in 2014
Global diamond jewellery demand grew 3% in 2014 to exceed $80bn (£51bn) for the first time, according to De Beers. The Diamond Insight Report said this is the fifth consecutive year of growth since the global recession, while global rough diamond production rose 6% to $19bn (£12bn). Consumer demand in…
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1 SeptemberEditor's Blog
Rumblings from the East
It has taken years for the jewellery industry to get back to a semblance of growth. But where once the whys and wherefores of economic rise and fall could be identified, isolated, and understood, they are becoming more opaque. This month the Chinese economy slowed to the extent that financial…
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Aug- 2015 -18 AugustE-Commerce
Online retail sales jump 12% in July
UK online retail sales surged 12% year-on-year in July and were up 15% when excluding travel, according to new data released today. The IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index also found that sales made via a mobile device, either a smartphone or tablet, saw annual growth of 42%. At 5.1%, July…
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17 AugustQ&A Sessions
INTERVIEW: Scott Thompson, Carat*
Luxury fashion jewellery brand Carat* spent the latter half of 2014 expanding its footprint both in the UK and overseas. MICHAEL NORTHCOTT caught up with founder and CEO, Scott Thompson. Give us a 60-second roundup of what’s been going on in the last 12 months We’ve expanded our footprint in Hong…
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13 AugustEconomy
UK gold demand grows 6% while Asia’s appetite declines
Global gold demand fell by 12% in the second quarter of 2015 compared with the same period last year, according to the World Gold Council’s (WGC) Gold Demand Trends Report. But demand in Europe and the US grew, driven by a mixture of increasingly confident jewellery buyers and strong demand…
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5 AugustCurrent Affairs
Ministers launch consultation on Sunday Trading hours
The power to extend Sunday trading hours for high street shops could be devolved to local authorities, according to plans proposed by ministers today. Under the plans, local councils will be given the power to extend Sunday trading hours within their geographical area, or specific parts of their geography where…
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