Diamond Prices Fall As Interest Rates Rise And Lab-Grown Substitutes Dull The Appeal Of Priceless Gems

Diamonds have long been coveted, from Greek mythology to Marilyn Monroe’s Hollywood and De Beers’ astute marketing. However, due to the recent collapse in pricing, the once-dazzling stones have started to lose their lustre. “The current softness in natural diamond prices is primarily a correction, following what I would say is a record run up…

How Israel’s Economy Is Being Harmed By The Gaza War

After weeks of deadly bombings and naval bombardments in response to Hamas’ offensive on October 7, the Israeli army began a military campaign in Gaza. In keeping with its pledge to demolish Hamas, Israel has murdered at least 13,000 Palestinians, including more than 5,500 children, and damaged or destroyed up to 51.4% of the buildings…

Much More Subdued Black Friday Attracts Bargain Hunters

In what looked to be a more muted Black Friday than in previous years, consumers descended upon stores worldwide in search of deals on electronics, apparel, and household products as the start of the holiday shopping season—a critical period for major retailers. Brokerage TD Cowen predicted flat Black Friday traffic, so it cut its projection…

China Forced Labour Draws More US Scrutiny For Electronics Made In Malaysia And Vietnam

According to government data, electronics worth a record $74 million, including solar panels and microchips primarily from Malaysia and Vietnam, were either refused entry into the United States in September or had their components inspected for evidence of forced labour in China. Tighter U.S. regulations aimed at addressing human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region—home…

Oxford Street Sees The Comeback Of UK Music Retailer HMV A Century After Its Founding

In a show of support for physical businesses in an increasingly online era, British music retailer HMV will open its former flagship location on Oxford Street in London on Black Friday after a four-year hiatus. The store will sell vinyl records, apparel, and merchandise. Composer Edward Elgar opened the first HMV store at 363 Oxford…

BNP Paribas Refuses To Work With Mining Customers That Use Metallurgical Coal

The largest bank in the euro zone, BNP Paribas, announced on Thursday that it was no longer funding initiatives aimed at metallurgical coal production. “This new commitment is part of BNP Paribas’ efforts to align its credit portfolio in the steel sector with its ‘Net Zero’ commitment,” the Paris-based lender said in a statement. The…

Altman, The AI Golden Child, Is Back At OpenAI And Might Have Fewer Power Checks

As the firm launches technologies that might upend industries, Sam Altman’s return to the CEO position at OpenAI will likely tighten his hold on the company and reduce the number of checks on his authority, according to analysts and specialists in corporate governance. Only a few days after being fired, Altman is returning to OpenAI,…

27 Companies, Including HP, Dell, And Lenovo, Given Permission To Manufacture Tech Hardware In India

Among the 27 businesses granted permission to produce IT gear in India under a production-linked incentive programme are global tech behemoths Dell, HP, and Lenovo from China. India wants to increase local manufacturing and draw significant investments across the value chain. The government of India authorised the PLI Scheme 2.0 for IT gear in May,…

McDonald’s Is Confident In China’s Growth Potential As It Increases Its Ownership Of Local Companies

McDonald’s announced that it has reached an agreement to increase its ownership of its business in China to just less than 50%, demonstrating its optimism in the burger chain’s future in the second-largest economy in the world. The action stands in stark contrast to the current trend of global firms pulling back their investments in…