Hey all … I have an article below about how consumer confidence has “stabilized” – and that is how I would put people’s mood out there, stabilized. People seem to have adjusted to the new circumstances and are now trying to do business again. So we seem to be, at least for the time being, somewhat out of the crisis mind-set that we had in the first two months of the year. Which doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods, but it’s probably a pre-requisite for getting there. We’ll have to see how Basel goes – I’m guessing pretty mixed.
One more thing: If any of you have had a comment cut off — particularly if you mean to type quotation marks — it appears there is a bug in the system. So if you’ve encountered this, it would help if you could let us know which browser or operating system you use, and how it occurs. Write me at rbates –at – reedbusiness.com.
And now the news …
BA Ballou closed, but plans to reopen.
Signet re-negotiates borrowing agreements.
– Shares rise 20%.
Objection filed to Robbins Brothers reorg.
Consumer confidence stabilizing.
Is low inventory hurting retailers? (via retailwire)
Obama’s plan for small business.
– Jeweler “appreciates” plan.
Another “season of retail markdowns.”
Spotlight on retail CEO salaries.
Kenny G tracks jewelry sales.
GLG on Finlay and Zale.
Blue Nile stock: “Pricey and dangerous.”
Tiffany earnings preview.
– Cramer: “Too good to bet against.”
– Company now on Facebook.
Jewelers face misdemeandor charges over second hand jewelry purchases.
Another protest at Colibri.
– Former employees arrested.
Arslanian cutting factory “in trouble.”
De Beers to suspend Namibia mining.
Anglo-American “breaks link to gold.” Last paragraph suggests Anglo would like to dump “cash-guzzling” investment in De Beers.
De Beers to sell South African mine … eventually.
JCK New Dehli show cancelled.
Surat traders “picking up pieces.”
Istanbul jewelry show still “glitters.”
Botswana still believes in “beneficiation.”
US rough imports plummet.
“How I Met Your Mother” has conflict diamond “joke.” (First paragraph.)
Antwerp diamond heist: The movie?
– Chaim rebuts Wired story.
Kimberley Process investigates Zimbabwe “diamond murders.”
– Country can’t account for diamonds.
Sierra Leone diamond miners turn to farming and gold mining.
Angola to buy its own diamonds.
– Country’s diamond projects “unfeasible.”
Kinross Gold buys stake in Harry Winston/Diavik.
Alrosa wants diamond “investment market.”
– Alrosa chief denies media reports.
Burkina Faso president profile mentions diamond issues.
Responsible Jewelry Council accepts lab-grown diamond producers.
Collectors Universe CEO leaving.
Bulgari CFO may leave.
David Trout, Coffin and Trout, dies.
IDI’s tribute to Moshe Schnitzer.
Ebay focuses on overstocked merchandise.
Mark Boston on the “diamond crisis.” Worth reading.
The new trend: jewelry/food. (Or food/jewelry.)
– The “pretzel diamond ring.”
– The diamond “engagement cake.”
Media Watch:
Fortune magazine article on Fred Leigthon.
NY Times talks to employee laid off by Fortunoff. No severance?!
Newsday talks to vendors hurt by Fortunoff.
The Australian on De Beers and Botswana.
From the Blog:
Spotlight on Retail CEO Salaries.
BA Ballou Closed, But Plans to Reopened
Antwerp Diamond Heist: The Movie?
Have a great weekend …
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