MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
SurveysJan 05, 2014
Consumer confidence climbs at year’s end
While U.S. consumer confidence is improving, Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index still ended the year in negative territory, and Gallup said the federal government will need to learn to work together to boost it into the positive.
Washington--While U.S. consumer confidence is improving, Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index still ended the year in negative territory, and Gallup said the federal government will need to learn to work together to boost it into the positive.
The Gallup Economic Confidence Index averaged -17 during the week of Christmas, an improvement from the -39 of mid-October but still below the 2013 peak of -3, measured in early June.
Gallup measures confidence by gauging how Americans feel about both the current economic conditions and the economy’s future.
Americans’ economic confidence saw vast improvement in the weeks immediately following the end of the federal government shutdown, which occurred from Oct. 1 to 16. The index climbed 10 points in the three weeks after the shutdown but has since risen at a slower pace, improving 12 points in the past eight weeks.
Gallup said positive economic news over the past two months could have played a role in the index’s steady improvement, including the unemployment rate dropping to a five-year low, record highs in the stock market and improvements in the housing market.
In addition, U.S. gross domestic product grew more than economists expected in the third quarter, and in early December the Federal Reserve eased its bond-buying stimulus program.
Americans are more positive about current, future economy
During the week of Christmas, Americans were more likely to say that current economic conditions were “excellent” or “good” than “poor,” resulting in a net current conditions score of -16, up from -32 during the shutdown but below the -9 measured in June, Gallup said.
Still, the index shows that U.S. consumers are still more pessimistic than optimistic about the economy’s outlook, with 56 percent saying it is getting worse, not getting better. This resulted in a -18 score for economic outlook for January 2014, an improvement from the -46 recorded in the shutdown but below the +4 measured in late May and early June.
Implications
Despite the sharp drop in consumer confidence during the federal government shutdown, the index showed that Americans were more confident in the economy in 2013 than they were in the past six years.
Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index averaged -16 for the year, up from -21 in 2012. The -16 is the best score since the company began tracking economic confidence daily in 2008.
For the index to enter positive territory in 2014, consumers may need to
see more signs of economic recovery, such as the unemployment rate returning to pre-recession levels and larger gains in GDP, Gallup said.
Americans also may need to see both political parties working together in Washington.
“Partisan gridlock and brinkmanship were responsible for the major dips in confidence this year: the fiscal cliff, automatic budget sequestration cuts, and the federal government shutdown. Washington lawmakers took a positive step this month by passing a federal budget agreement. This bipartisanship will likely need to continue for more Americans to feel positive about the economy in 2014,” Gallup said.
Results for Gallup’s index are based on telephone interviews conducted from Dec. 23 to 29 and on the Gallup Daily Tracking Survey, which has a random sample of 2,538 adults ages 18 and older living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Americans also may need to see both political parties working together in Washington.
“Partisan gridlock and brinkmanship were responsible for the major dips in confidence this year: the fiscal cliff, automatic budget sequestration cuts, and the federal government shutdown. Washington lawmakers took a positive step this month by passing a federal budget agreement. This bipartisanship will likely need to continue for more Americans to feel positive about the economy in 2014,” Gallup said.
Results for Gallup’s index are based on telephone interviews conducted from Dec. 23 to 29 and on the Gallup Daily Tracking Survey, which has a random sample of 2,538 adults ages 18 and older living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
More on Surveys
The Latest
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s BookThe retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
IndependentsMar 27, 2026
Jimmy West, Longtime LJG Executive Director, Dies at 72West, who started in the art department at the Leading Jewelers Guild in 1979, is remembered for his patience, kindness, and dedication.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
IndependentsMar 26, 2026
Peter Smith Pens Book on Human Behavior in Sales“Essentially Human: On Sales and Salespeople" reveals the underlying human traits and behaviors of the most successful sales professionals.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Introduce New ScholarshipIt’s the third scholarship to be launched as part of the partnership to help appraisers advance their professional credentials.
