What Is the Volatility Index Saying About Jewelry Sales?

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Here's an interesting correlation for you: International Business Machine's retail analytics practice has uncovered a strong connection between the CBOE Volatility Index and jewelry sales — and it suggests sales will be strong this holiday.

The CBOE Volatility Index — known as the VIX, or Fear Index — measures the volatility of the S&P 500 stock index.

After tracking the volatility index over time, IBM retail analytics leader Micheal Haydock found that an increase in the VIX has correlated with an increase in jewelry sales two months later.

Based on this finding, IBM [IBM  190.53     3.71  (+1.99%)           ] is forecasting jewelry sales will rise 7.7 percent to $2.659 billion in November. In December, sales of jewelry are predicted to be up 4 percent from December 2010, or $5.458 billion.

This relationship is somewhat counterintuitive as one might expect a volatile stock market, with big swings up and down, to increase fear and dampen demand for nonessential items and luxury goods such as jewelry.

"This correlation — jewelry sales rising two months after big stock market swings — is highly unusual and bears watching," Haydock noted. "If the trend continues, it could enhance the work we do in helping clients improve the efficiency and impact their marketing and advertising programs."