Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
SurveysDec 13, 2016
Small Business Optimism Reaches 8-Year High
Small business owners are the most optimistic they’ve been since January 2008 due in large part to expected improvements in finances in the year ahead.
San Francisco--Small business owners are the most optimistic they’ve been since the recession started, according to a recent study from Wells Fargo and Gallup.
In the quarterly Small Business Index survey, Wells Fargo and Gallup question small business owners across the nation in order to gauge their perceptions of their present situation and future expectations for the next 12 months in six key areas: financial situation, cash flow, revenues, capital spending allocation, hiring and credit availability. The answers then are used to calculate the overall index score.
Wells Fargo and Gallup conducted the most recent survey from Nov. 11 to 17, finding that the overall index had increased to 80 in November. This is a 12-point increase compared with July and a 26-point increased compared with a year ago, and marks the highest optimism reading since January 2008.
It also represents the largest quarterly increase in the index in a year.
Wells Fargo said a major driver behind the optimism is how business owners feel about the year ahead; 45 percent indicated that they expect the operating environment to be better for business in 2017.
Many of the small business owners surveyed also said they expect their finances to improve next year.
Other key findings from the study are as follows.
• More than half (58 percent) expect revenue to increase a little or a lot in the next 12 months, up from the 48 percent who said the same thing in July.
• Meanwhile, 70 percent believe their cash flow will be somewhat or very good in the next 12 months. This is up from 65 percent in July.
• More than one-third (35 percent) said they plan to increase capital spending a lot or a little.
• Thirty-six percent expect the number of jobs at their company to increase a little or a lot over the next year. Wells Fargo said this is the highest reading for this factor in the 13-year history of the survey.
In the survey, small business owners also were asked about their priorities for President-elect Donald Trump and the incoming Congress.
Eighty-one percent of small business owners said they wanted them to focus on changes to the tax code, tax regulation and tax rates for small businesses. Other top issues include actions relating to healthcare and the current healthcare law (76 percent), overall action on government regulations impacting small business owners (70 percent), and actions that could
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
impact oil prices or energy costs (59 percent).
When asked what the new administration could do to help small businesses grow, 90 percent said improving the economy overall was at the top, followed by reducing taxes on small businesses (81 percent) and simplifying the tax code as it pertains to small businesses (78 percent).
Slightly more than half (51 percent) of small business owners think that the new president and Congress will take actions next year to make their businesses better off, while 17 percent think their businesses will be worse off and 26 percent think their actions will have no effect.
These results are similar to what National Jeweler/Jewelers of America found in its latest Business Pulse survey, which focused on the election.
Consumer confidence
In addition to the surge in optimism among small business owners, the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment also showed that consumer confidence has skyrocketed following the election.
In early December, consumer confidence climbed to 98 on the index, just one-tenth of a point below the 2015 peak, which was the highest level since the start of 2004. The university said this was largely due to consumers’ initial reactions to Trump’s victory.
The university also said in its results that when asked what news they had heard of recent economic developments, “more consumers spontaneously mentioned the expected positive impact of new economic policies than ever before recorded in the long history of the surveys.”
Though just as many offered negative opinions about prospective economic policies, the frequency of those negative references was less than half their prior peak levels, whereas positive references were about twice their prior peak.
When asked what the new administration could do to help small businesses grow, 90 percent said improving the economy overall was at the top, followed by reducing taxes on small businesses (81 percent) and simplifying the tax code as it pertains to small businesses (78 percent).
Slightly more than half (51 percent) of small business owners think that the new president and Congress will take actions next year to make their businesses better off, while 17 percent think their businesses will be worse off and 26 percent think their actions will have no effect.
These results are similar to what National Jeweler/Jewelers of America found in its latest Business Pulse survey, which focused on the election.
Consumer confidence
In addition to the surge in optimism among small business owners, the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment also showed that consumer confidence has skyrocketed following the election.
In early December, consumer confidence climbed to 98 on the index, just one-tenth of a point below the 2015 peak, which was the highest level since the start of 2004. The university said this was largely due to consumers’ initial reactions to Trump’s victory.
The university also said in its results that when asked what news they had heard of recent economic developments, “more consumers spontaneously mentioned the expected positive impact of new economic policies than ever before recorded in the long history of the surveys.”
Though just as many offered negative opinions about prospective economic policies, the frequency of those negative references was less than half their prior peak levels, whereas positive references were about twice their prior peak.
More on Surveys
The Latest
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
