MasterCard report shows U.S. consumer sales up 5.5 percent in Christmas season

29 Dec, 2010

Retail sales in the United States increased by 5.5 percent in the 50-day period from November 5 to December 24, a MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse report showed. After a quiet start, online and store sales of jewellery showed a number of... read more

American online sales up 15.4 percent in October 31-Dec 24 period

26 Dec, 2010

U.S. consumers sharply raised their online purchasing during the overall Christmas sales season, with a 15.4 percent jump to $36.4 billion, a report from MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse said. The sales tracking body reported on the October... read more

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal buys girlfriend $100,000 diamond bracelet for 21st birthday

23 Dec, 2010

Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal made a big impression on girlfriend, country music singer Taylor Swift, by buying her a $100,000 white gold bracelet set with diamonds for her 21st birthday. The actor, who sprang to fame in the movie Brokeback... read more

Around 23 million U.S. shoppers to hit shopping malls on Christmas Eve, report forecasts

22 Dec, 2010

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and Goldman Sachs are forecasting that around 23 million consumers, or 15 percent of the total number, will go shopping on Christmas Eve. Most of the shoppers will be doing their... read more

U.S. jewelry consumer price index makes record high in November

16 Dec, 2010

The jewelry consumer price index (CPI) in the United States jumped 3.9 percent to a record of 166.6 points in November, its highest-ever level, according to statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The November figure was the ... read more

Distant planets may contain diamond icebergs in liquid diamond seas

15 Dec, 2010

An article appearing in the respected scientific journal Nature Physics has suggested that the planets of Neptune and Uranus may contain oceans of liquid diamond, and floating on them may be solid diamond icebergs.The article is based on research... read more

U.S. shoppers increased their online Christmas gift purchasing on Green Monday

15 Dec, 2010

Internet sales in the United States on December 13, so-called Green Monday, rose 12 percent on the year to hit $954 million, according to research firm ComScore. Green Monday falls on the second Monday in December when Internet sales have... read more

American imports of polished diamonds soared 42 percent to $1.9 billion in October

13 Dec, 2010

Imports by the United States of polished diamonds surged 42 percent to $1.9 billion in October, Meanwhile, U.S. polished exports rose 36 percent to $1.25 billion. For the January-October period, polished imports soared 51 percent to $15.2... read more

Miner and retailer Harry Winston Diamond Corp. reduces forecast output

12 Dec, 2010

Harry Winston Diamond Corp. cut its forecast output for calendar year 2010 to around 6.9 million carats from a prior estimate of 7.8 million carats. The firm said the revised forecast to mud and lower-quality gems at its Diavik Diamond Mine in... read more

Online buying in the U.S. jumps 12 percent in early Christmas shopping

9 Dec, 2010

U.S. shoppers increased their online Christmas spending by 12 percent to $16.8 million in the November 1-December 5 period, according to comScore which tracks Internet spending. On so-called Cyber Monday, alone, November 29, the Monday after... read more

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