Hong Kong show opens with steady diamond sales to smaller Asian markets and weak Chinese demand. Overseas dealers seeking bargains at fair. Some luxury brands making purchases. De Beers to maintain flexibility at Sep. 23 sight, leading market to expect stable rough prices. Alrosa tells customers it will keep rough prices steady and avoid flooding the market, encourages trade to avoid devaluing polished. Lucara recovers 1,094 ct. rough, second huge stone in a month. US Federal Reserve lowers interest rates 0.5 percentage points following drops in inflation, raising hopes for consumer spending. US general retail sales +2.1% YOY to $711B in Aug. Jewelers Mutual warns of spike in burglaries.

While global markets face recession, India is riding the wave of growth, with retailers aggressively expanding their operations.

New York-based wholesaler Josh Arazi explains his policy toward retailers that stock synthetics.

Inscription forgery has improved but will never be perfect, says the GIA’s Dr. Wuyi Wang.