Luxury watch dealer Anthony Farrer pleaded guilty late last year to defrauding clients in a scheme with Ponzi-type elements.
Deloitte: A US Recession Remains ‘Unlikely’
What is likely, however, is that the economy will keep growing at its current slow, and some would say unsatisfactory, pace.
New York--A report released this week by Deloitte states that the chance the United States will slip into another recession is slim but so is the probability that growth will pick up substantially.
In its U.S. Economic Forecast published online Tuesday, Deloitte stated that, “The likelihood of a recession remains low but the highest probability is that the slow, unsatisfactory growth of the post-recession period in the U.S. is the economy’s new normal.”
In the forecast, the New York-based professional services firm sketched out four different possible future paths for the U.S. economy and then placed subjective probabilities on each.
The least likely scenario is recession, with Deloitte putting the odds of another massive slowdown at only 5 percent.
The scenario Deloitte pinpointed as being the most likely, at 55 percent, is “the baseline,” where U.S. domestic demand is strong enough to provide employment for workers returning to the labor force, unemployment hovers around 5 percent and annual GDP growth is capped at about 3 percent.
The two other scenarios outlined were slower growth (25 percent) and a coordinated global boom (15 percent).
Deloitte’s U.S. economic forecast, which was published online Tuesday, also delved into specific sectors of the economy, including consumer spending.
According to the report, the U.S. consumer, the “longtime supporter of the global economy,” has remained surprisingly resilient but has begun saving more money, not spending like they did in the early 2000s.
Deloitte said it expects the U.S. savings rate to settle in at just over 5 percent, which is consistent with the amount of money consumers saved in the 1990s.
The report also noted that while there has been job growth and wages have picked up a little too, the consumer still faces a few obstacles.
Chief among them are the number of homeowners who remain “underwater” on their mortgages, baby boomers nearing or at retirement with inadequate savings and the growing wealth gap.
The Deloitte report states that, “As long as a large share of the gains from technology and other economic improvements flows to a relatively small number of households, overall U.S. consumer spending is likely to remain relatively restrained.”
The report was authored by Daniel Bachman, a senior manager for U.S. macroeconomics at Deloitte Services LP.
Download a PDF of the entire forecast on the Deloitte University Press website.
The Latest
In its full-year results, the retailer shared its 2025 outlook and an update on the global rollout of its lab-grown diamond collection.
Celebrate February birthstones and the gem shows in Arizona this month with a versatile stone like amethyst.
Colored stones are stepping into a jewelry spotlight typically reserved for diamonds—are you ready to sell color?
The agreement will allocate an increasing proportion of the country’s rough diamonds to the government of Botswana over the next decade.
“Cosmic Splendor: Jewelry From the Collections of Van Cleef & Arpels,” opens April 11 at the American Museum of Natural History.
Those celebrating Valentine’s Day this year are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion on jewels, flowers, candy, and more.
The new year feels like a clean slate, inspiring reflection, hope, and the motivation to become better versions of ourselves.
From Lady Gaga’s 1930s Tiffany & Co. necklace to Taylor Swift’s “T,” Michelle Graff recaps the night’s most memorable jewelry looks.
A group of creatives talked to Associate Editor Lauren McLemore about their approach to the annual Tucson gem, mineral, and fossil shows.
The auction also featured the sale of a Cartier necklace made when Egyptomania was sweeping Great Britain.
The “Blossom Rosette” blooms with love, beauty, and hope for the year ahead.
Rovinsky is remembered as a great mentor who made the employees of his stores feel like family.
For every jeweler who tries their luck, the company will make a donation to Jewelers for Children.
The boards of at least five chapters have resigned in response to controversial statements the WJA national board president made last month.
An experienced jewelry writer and curator, Grant led the organization for two years.
Five new designs were added, all donning Tahitian cultured pearls and spear-like trident motifs, along with the new “Titan” setting.
The inaugural event is being co-hosted by the American Gem Society and the Gemological Institute of America.
Jewelers of America’s Annie Doresca and AGTA CEO John W. Ford Sr. are among the new members.
The jeweler’s latest high jewelry collection looks into the Boucheron archives to create a “living encyclopedia of high jewelry.”
Watch and jewelry sales slipped 3 percent in 2024, though the luxury conglomerate did see business pick up in the fourth quarter.
Olivier Kessler-Gay will take over the role on March 3.
It hit a four-month low in January due to concerns about the job market, though consumers remain bullish about the stock market.
The jewelry designer and master metalsmith will present on the ancient Japanese metalworking technique at the Atlanta Jewelry Show in March.
The “Moments” social media campaign emphasizes the emotional ties between natural diamonds and life’s special milestones.
The versatile “As We Are” collection features 14 pieces with interlocking designs allowing for 27 different looks worn around the body.
Letsile Tebogo will help to promote natural diamonds and the good they have done for his country.