International News
Hong Kong’s luxury retail sector, incl jewellery, sustains growth
Jewellery sales rise 3.6% year-on-year, driven by inbound tourism and higher gold prices.
Hong Kong’s hard-luxury retail sector, particularly jewellery, sustained growth in November 2025 amid broader economic recovery. Jewellery, watches, clocks, and valuable gifts sales rose 3.6% year-on-year to HKD 4.64 billion ($595.5 million), marking the seventh consecutive monthly advance. This performance aligns with overall retail sales climbing 6.5% to HKD 33.7 billion.
Jewellery sector revenue reached HKD 4,641 million in November, up from prior months, driven by robust inbound tourism and elevated gold product margins amid rising prices. Volume indices showed a -5.9% dip in some reports, but value growth persisted due to premium pricing. For January-November 2025, cumulative hard-luxury sales edged up 0.7% to HKD 47.01 billion.
Strong visitor arrivals boosted luxury demand, complementing local consumption sentiment improvements from economic expansion. Gold price climbs enhanced retailer margins, supporting jewellery sales resilience despite varied volume trends. Government notes vibrant inbound tourism will continue aiding retail, including jewellery outlets.
Total retail value hit HKD 33,730 million, with online sales surging 28.4% to 11.2% of total. Other categories like electrical goods (+38.6%) outperformed, while fuels declined. Year-to-date retail grew 0.4% to HKD 345.43 billion.
DiamondBuzz
Rio Tinto’s Diamond Division Posts $79 Million EBITDA Loss in 2025
Higher output from Canada’s Diavik Diamond Mine offsets revenue decline, but end-of-life pressures continue to weigh on performance.
Rio Tinto reported a challenging year for its diamond business in 2025, posting an underlying EBITDA loss of $79 million despite improved revenues. While the loss narrowed compared to the $115 million deficit recorded in 2024, the division remained under pressure amid a global diamond market slowdown and the nearing closure of its last active mine.
Annual revenue rose 19% to $332 million, supported by stronger production at the Diavik mine in Canada, Rio Tinto’s only remaining diamond operation. Output climbed 61% to 4.4 million carats, driven by the ramp-up of mining activities in the underground section of the A21 deposit, which began scaling up in late 2024.
However, the A21 underground ore body is expected to be depleted by the end of the first quarter of 2026, marking the end of Diavik’s operational life. The company plans to spend approximately $1 billion this year on closure activities related to Diavik, as well as rehabilitation work at the former Argyle Diamond Mine, which ceased production in 2020, and other non-diamond projects.
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