According to preliminary government data, during November, with the beginning of the Christmas season, jewelry sales in the US rose by 9.1% on a year-on-year basis, and since the beginning of the year reached $ 72.6 billion, Rapaport reports. Sales of watches increased by 1.3%, amounting to $ 9.9 billion in 11 months. Meanwhile, the consumer price index for jewelry in November was stable, and the price index for watches grew by 3.9%.
At the same time, retail sales in US department stores in November fell by 4.3% to $ 17.47 billion. In the first 11 months, the drop was 5%, and total sales in department stores - $ 150 billion.
Retail sales for all categories of goods in November increased by 4.7% on a year-on-year basis, to $ 432.3 billion.