IN BRIEF (Page 14)

2012-09-28 10:32

Where consumers are keystone kings

2012-09-28 10:32

For Alvin Kong, they act as the cornerstone that holds the edifice together. You can build a fancy hotel, throw some desirable office space on top and finish it off with rows of swank shops, but if you do not have the shoppers you are essentially wasting your time.

All that glitters is sold

2012-09-28 10:32

With the rapid development of China's economy, Chinese consumers' appetite for jewelry has continued to grow, resulting in consistent sales growth in the domestic market. In 2011, spending in China's retail jewelry market reached 40 billion yuan ($6.3 billion, 4.9 billion euros), making it the world's largest consumer market for platinum and jade, and the second-largest diamond jewelry consumer after the US. But in addition to being one of the world's largest jewelry consumers, China has gradually emerged as a competitive jewelry maker in the international market.

Ready for the challenge

2012-09-28 10:32

Western jewelry brands like Cartier from France, Tiffany from the US and Bulgari from Italy have for long ruled the roost in the global high-end jewelry market. But that may soon be about to change when Wu Fenghua, a Shenzhen-based jeweler, launches his internationally recognized jewelry brand, crafted and created exclusively in China, in overseas markets.

Ready for the gold rush

2012-09-28 10:32

Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Jewelry Group Ltd, the world's largest jewelry retailer by market value, is adding more stores on the Chinese mainland to cater to the growing demand for gold and jewelry.

Pushing to the Max

2012-09-28 10:32

When other luxury fashion companies are feeling the chill in China, the Max Mara Fashion Group, one of the first on the scene 13 years ago, is putting the heat on with plans for a major expansion.

The world is their oyster

2012-09-28 10:32

Coursera, an online education platform that offers free courses from universities worldwide, is aiming to net some of the biggest consumers of overseas higher learning: Chinese.

Jumbo shrimp on the block

2012-09-28 10:32

Long Tujin is in an industry that many might not take seriously.

Winds of change rocking Yiwu hub

2012-09-21 13:31

Though winter is still a good two months away, icy winds from Europe seem to be already buffeting the low-cost manufacturing hub of Yiwu, in East China's Zhejiang province. The all-round chill, however, has little to do with the actual weather in the city lying southwest of the Yangtze River Delta, but more to do with the bleak export landscape and tepid demand from overseas markets.

'Balance is key to growth' in Germany

2012-09-21 13:31

The Chinese computer maker Lenovo Group plans to strengthen its brand in the consumer products market in Germany, seeking growth more closely aligned with that of the business sector, the company says.

China brims with energy

2012-09-21 13:31

There are many who regard it as the next big thing and others who are highly skeptical, but for the moment Boleslaw Kosciukiewicz is one of the believers.

Trading places

2012-09-21 13:31

Chairman of European business association says the greater use of the chinese currency in London will benefit Europe as a whole.

A long and lasting love affair

2012-09-21 13:31

Though the headwinds have not been that encouraging in recent times, Yiwu still remains a vital conduit in international commodity trade and a favorite of global commodity traders. But very few know that the city is also an ideal place for foreign entrepreneurs to incubate their business.

A passage to Europe

2012-09-21 13:31

Christmas goods companies from Yiwu look to turn the tide

Fashion house's next showcase: the world

2012-09-21 13:31

Olympic Games gave Chinese garments brand international push

Burnt out workers seek a higher plain for relief

2012-09-21 13:31

Xu Zhen, a 29-year-old white-collar worker, recently found a new way to find relief at work.

IN BRIEF (Page 14)

2012-09-21 13:31

Executives reach breaking point

2012-09-21 13:31

Stress among managers in China is mounting, even causing deaths at work. What is pushing them to the brink?

Quotable

2012-09-21 13:31

"From cases involving solar panels to rare earths and many other sorts of products, we have already seen that trade protectionism is being used more often against China, and this will probably continue for a couple more months."

Lessons in the stars

2012-09-21 13:31

'If I had discovered astrology in my 20s, I wouldn't have chosen to become a career woman in finance," says Jiang Ying, co-founder of Nodoor.com, China's first astrological consulting firm. "It looks good, but it does not suit everyone."