Zale's to close jewelry stores

NEW YORK -- Zale Corp. said Wednesday that it would close about 105 stores, cut more than 200 jobs and scale back on spending as the struggling jeweler works to boost its profit in a weakening U.S. economy. Zale, which had 2,167 retail locations on Jan. 31, said it would focus capital spending on its stronger brands. The Dallas-based company, with brands such as Piercing Pagoda, Gordon's and Mappins, plans to spend more efficiently on store remodeling and to slow openings in the near future.