Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 14:09:24
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.95 2.03%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,456.40 1.09%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 431.00 0.70%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.70 2.45%
  1. State Bank Of India share price
  2. 756.35 3.04%
Business News/ Market / Stock-market-news/  Gold imports said to almost triple in February on wedding demand
BackBack

Gold imports said to almost triple in February on wedding demand

India's gold imports jumped 175% to 96.4 metric tonnes in February from a year earlier as jewellers increased stockpiles before the festival and wedding period

After a lull in demand exacerbated by demonetisation, jewellers are building up inventories. Photo: Priyanka Parashar/ MintPremium
After a lull in demand exacerbated by demonetisation, jewellers are building up inventories. Photo: Priyanka Parashar/ Mint

New Delhi: Gold imports by India, which competes with China for the role of world’s biggest consumer, are said to have risen almost three-fold in February from a year earlier as jewellers increased stockpiles before the festival and wedding period that starts next month.

Shipments jumped 175% to 96.4 metric tons in February from a year earlier, according to a person familiar with provisional data from the finance ministry, who asked not to be identified as the data aren’t public. Overseas purchases slid 32% to 595.5 tons in the 11 months to February. Ministry spokesman D. S. Malik declined to comment on the data.

After a lull in demand exacerbated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move to withdraw high denomination currency notes, jewellers are building up inventories.

They expect to see some recovery in purchases ahead of India’s wedding season and on the auspicious Hindu gold-buying day of Akshaya Tritiya that falls toward the end of April this year.

“We expect some heavy buying in April as a large number of weddings are expected to take place," Mehul Choksi, chairman of jewelry store chain Gitanjali Gems Ltd, said by phone from Mumbai. “The wedding season runs from April to July, so we are expecting some recovery in demand."

While annual Indian demand should recover, year-on-year growth rates will be modest, relative to historical levels, Citigroup Inc. said in research report Wednesday.

Demand is estimated around 725 tons in 2017, similar to levels seen the prior year, it said. Indians buy gold during festivals and for marriages as part of the bridal trousseau or as gifts, and the nation imports almost all the gold it consumes.

Gold prices in London fell for the third straight day on Wednesday, declining as much as 0.4% to $1,211.51 an ounce, the lowest level in more than a month. Bloomberg

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
More Less
Published: 08 Mar 2017, 04:25 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App