(WASHINGTON) - The National Retail Federation said the U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of American Express rules that prevent retailers from encouraging the use of other credit cards with lower processing fees will perpetuate a system that costs merchants and consumers billions of dollars a year.

(WASHINGTON) - May retail sales increased 0.7 percent seasonally adjusted over April and 5.6 percent unadjusted year-over-year as a growing economy prompted consumers to continue to spend, the National Retail Federation reported. The numbers exclude automobiles, gasoline stations and restaurants.

(IDEX Online) – China will be slashing import taxes on jewelry, as part of tariff reductions on a wide range of consumer goods, as of July 1.

The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council in China issued the "Notice on Reducing the Import Tariffs of Daily Consumer Goods" last week. According to the notice, China will cut Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariffs for daily consumer goods involving 1,449 tax items starting July 1.

Retailers discover antique & period jewelry resonates with today’s shoppers 

Jewelers operating in a fiercely competitive climate must get creative when connecting with their core customers. Now the demographic of jewelry consumers and the reasons they buy are light years away from those in the 20th century. Then, jewelry sent a completely different signal than it does now. Years back, people wore their wealth.

Terry Kahn, GG, president of Jewelry Appraisers of North Carolina.

(GREENSBORO, N.C.) - A happenstance meeting between an established independent jewelry appraiser and innovative trust banking executive in Greensboro, NC led the bank (First Citizens Bank) to establish a unique system, centralizing in the Greensboro area all appraisals for estate jewelry from more than 500 branches in 18 states.

De Beers, which almost single-handedly created the allure of diamonds as rare, expensive and the symbol of eternal love, now wants to sell you some party jewelry that is anything but.