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RAPAPORT... All of the publicly traded retail firms that Rapaport News follows each week out of the U.S. experienced strong share price gains in 2013 with one exception -- JCPenney's shares tumbled 55 percent year on year to close at $8.88 on January 2. The best share performance for jewelry-related retailers in the U.S. came from Zale Inc. as its stock price surged 294 percent to $16.14. Birks Group (Birks & Mayors) shares powered ahead in 2013, too, rising 123 percent to $1.67. In order of the greatest share improvement during the year for other majors, Tiffany & Co.'s shares were up 61 percent to $92.59, Sotheby's rose 58 percent to $53.06, Signet Group increased 48 percent to $78.71, Movado Group rose 47 percent to $43.95, Macy's increased 37 percent to $53.39, Kohl's improved 30 percent to $56.99, Charles & Colvard rose 28 percent to $5.02, Blue Nile was up 20 percent to $46.34, Nordstrom was up 16 percent to $61.95 and Walmart rose 15 percent to $78.91. Michael Hill International, which operates stores in the U.S. but trades in New Zealand, ended the year with a 13 percent stock price gain at NZD 1.39. Retailers in Europe experienced similar share price growth, with Damiani's stock up 35 percent to EUR 1.24, Swatch Group's shares surging 28 percent to CHF 589.50, Richemont's stock improving 24 percent to CHF 88.80 and Kering (formerly PPR) registering a share price improvement of 9 percent at EUR 153.85. LVMH, however, experienced a share price decline of 6 percent during 2013 to close at EUR 131.25. In Hong Kong, Chow Sang Sang's shares jumped 18 percent in 2013 to close on January 2 at HKD 22.05, while Chow Tai Fook's share price fell 11 percent year on year to HKD 11.60. India-based diamond companies experienced a most difficult year for their share prices with only four of the firms on the Rapaport Stock List registering a share price increase: Vaibhav Gems surged 424 percent to INR 648, while C. Mahendra jumped 126 percent to INR 198.15, Suashish Diamond increased 14 percent to INR 168 and Lyspa Gems rose 10 percent to INR 147.55. In order of greatest price declines, Gitanjali Gems' shares declined 87 percent to INR 68.95, Winsome Diamonds & Jewellery fell 80 percent to INR 7.69, Classic Diamond's shares fell 75 percent year on year to INR 1.03, Goenka Diamond's shares were down 75 percent to INR 6.78, Rajesh Exports fell 45 percent to INR 76.80, Titan dropped 20 percent to INR 226.30, Goldiam International declined 20 percent to INR 22 and Renaissance Jewellery fell 11 percent to INR 60. Diamond-mining shares were mixed in 2013, with Lucara Diamonds' stock performing best of all and rising 155 percent in Toronto to CAD 1.68, while Rockwell Diamonds jumped 105 percent to 39 cents. Other strong performers included Mountain Province Diamonds, which rose 32 percent to CAD 5.23; Peregrine Diamonds, which jumped 32 percent to 58 cents; Stornoway Diamonds up 18 percent to 80 cents; Dominion Diamonds, which rose 11 percent to CAD 15.41 and True North Gems up 11 percent to 10 cents. In London, Petra Diamonds rose 4 percent year on year to 116.6 pence; however, Stellar Diamonds ended the year at 95 pence, representing a 63 percent drop from one year ago. Shares in Anglo American fell 32 percent in London during 2013 to 1,292.13 pence, while Firestone Diamonds' shares dropped 29 percent to 2.75 pence, Gemfields International declined 4 percent to 33 pence and Rio Tinto's shares fell 4 percent to 3,370.34 pence. The year was undoubtedly one of the worst for gold as its price fell by $451 to close at $1,222 per ounce on January 2, while platinum's price lost $142 at $1,397 per ounce.
CHF 1 = $1.11
EUR 1 = $1.36
NZD 1 = 83 cents
INR 1 = 1 cent
CAD 1 = 94 cents
HKD 1 = 13 cents
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