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.
SurveysJul 01, 2020
Consumer Confidence Rises in June
Reopenings and eased restrictions helped boost consumer confidence, but it’s still below pre-pandemic levels.
The consumer confidence index was on the rise in June, climbing to a higher level than economists had expected.
New York—Consumer confidence climbed higher than expected in June as coronavirus-related restrictions eased.
The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index rose to 98.1 in June compared with 85.9 in May, higher than the 91 economists had forecast.
Though the index partially rebounded in June, it’s “well below” pre-pandemic levels, said Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at The Conference Board.
“The re-opening of the economy and relative improvement in unemployment claims helped improve consumers’ assessment of current conditions,” said Franco.
However, she noted the Present Situation Index, which assesses how consumers feel about current business and labor market conditions, though improved month-over-month, remains weak.
The Present Situation Index rose to 86.2 from 68.4 in May.
Around 17 percent of consumers said business conditions are “good,” compared with 16 percent in May.
Those who said conditions were “bad” decreased to 43 percent compared with 51 percent in May.
As for the job market, 21 percent of consumers said jobs were “plentiful,” an increase compared with the 17 percent who said the same in May.
Those who said jobs are “hard to get” decreased to 24 percent compared with 29 percent the previous month.
“Looking ahead, consumers are less pessimistic about the short-term outlook, but do not foresee a significant pickup in economic activity,” said Franco.
The Expectations Index, which gauges consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, increased to 106 in June compared with 97.6 in May.
The percentage of consumers expecting business conditions to improve over the next six month was flat at 43 percent, while the percentage of those who see conditions getting worse decreased to 15 percent, compared with 21 percent in May.
Consumers’ outlook for the labor market was mixed, said The Conference Board.
Fewer consumers expect to see more jobs in the months ahead with that percentage declining to 38 percent from 40 percent.
The percentage of consumers expecting to see fewer jobs also decreased to 14 percent, compared with 20 percent in the previous month.
Looking to short-term income, 15 percent of consumers are expecting an increase, a slight improvement compared with just under 15 percent in May.
The percentage of consumers expecting a decrease was down to 14 percent, compared with 15 percent in the previous month.
“Faced with an uncertain and uneven path to recovery, and a potential COVID-19 resurgence, it’s too soon to say that consumers have turned the corner and are ready to begin spending at pre-pandemic levels,” said Franco.
More on Surveys
The Latest
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.
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.
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.
Weekly QuizMar 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
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.
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.
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.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
SourcingMar 25, 2026
Rob Bates Steps Down as JCK News Director After 28 years with JCK, the veteran industry journalist is launching his own publication on Substack called The Jewelry Wire.
GradingMar 25, 2026
New York’s Natural History Museum, Wiley To Build Minerals DatabaseWiley said the project will give scientists worldwide access to the American Museum of Natural’s History renowned mineral collection.
CollectionsMar 25, 2026
Boochier Turns Flower Friendship Bracelets Into Fine JewelryThe “Flower Puff” collection looks to beaded flower friendship bracelets from childhood, turning the silhouette into nostalgic fine jewelry.
Policies & IssuesMar 25, 2026
Community for Ethical Jewelry to Host Bench Jeweler Shortage WebinarSet for April 2, the webinar will discuss how the jewelry industry can address the workforce gap.
IndependentsMar 24, 2026
Lisa Bayer, Illustrator and Beloved Member of the Muse Family, Dies at 64Bayer, founder of Lisa Bayer Designs, is remembered as “a bright light in every room.”
AuctionsMar 24, 2026
White Diamonds Shine In Christie's Jewels Online SaleThe highest-grossing lot was a Tiffany & Co. ring set with a flawless, emerald-cut diamond of 10 carats.
SourcingMar 24, 2026
AGTA Solidifies Tucson Dates For 2027-2029The next three editions of AGTA GemFair Tucson will feature a five-day show that includes Sunday.
WatchesMar 24, 2026
Christie’s Names New Senior Specialist, WatchesFormer Sotheby’s executive Tom Heap has taken on the London-based role.
