National News
AUGMONT WEEKLY BLOG:Gold on beast mode as Liberation Day approaches
Gold has continued its terrific run, on beast mode, hitting $3177 (Rs 91400) to set another milestone, as uncertainty about tariffs that would drive inflation and deteriorate economic development boosted safe-haven demand and maintained gold on track for its best quarter since 1986. The buying demand in gold continues unabated, with markets scrambling for shelter in the traditional store of wealth amid concerns over US President Donald Trump’s tariff plans on ‘Liberation Day’, April 2.
What is Liberation Day?
As per Wikipedia, “Liberation Day is a day, often a public holiday, that marks the liberation of a place, similar to an Independence Day. Liberation marks the date of either a revolution, as in Cuba, the fall of a dictatorship, as in Syria, or the end of the occupation by another state, as in the Netherlands, thereby differing from the original independence day or creation of statehood, while in Italy commemorates the victory of the Italian resistance movement against Nazi Germany and the Italian Social Republic, a puppet state of the Nazis and rump state of the fascists, the culmination of the liberation of Italy from German occupation and the Italian civil war in the latter phase of World War II”.
US Liberation Day on April 2
Donald Trump has threatened a “Liberation Day” with tariffs on countries having persistent trade deficits with the US. On Wednesday, April 2, the world will learn about Donald Trump’s new style of doing business with almost everyone. That is when the White House will unveil its tariff plan, which includes duty increases for all countries that trade products and services with the United States. Trump has not hinted at imposing a levy on gold, but the prospect of such a move has pushed prices to their current levels. Is gold taxed on imports? We find out on Wednesday. Until then, speculation is likely to continue in full swing.
Trump rattling the markets
Furthermore, US President Donald Trump shook markets last week by placing 25% tariffs on all non-American vehicles and light trucks ahead of the so-called reciprocal tariffs, which are scheduled to take effect on April 2. On Sunday, Trump expressed his rage and frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, threatening large tariffs on Russian energy and even bombings in Iran. He also stated that if he believes Moscow is impeding his efforts to end the Ukraine conflict, he will slap secondary tariffs ranging from 25% to 50% on Russian oil customers. Trump also slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, warning that he would suffer serious consequences if he pulled out of the important rare earth minerals deal. This further weighs on investors’ sentiment and contributes to the global flight to safety.
What next?
Bullion is up around 18% this year after climbing more than 27% in 2024, owing to a favorable monetary policy background, significant central bank buying, and demand for exchange-traded funds, among other things. This comes on top of continuing concerns over slowing US economic growth, which drives stagflation fears, pulling the US Dollar down and providing more support to gold.
The next resistance for gold is $3210(~Rs 92000) while Silver is stuck in the range of $33 to $35, prices need to sustain above its $35 resistance to head higher towards $38.
National News
Jewellery Sector IPOs: Proceeds Used For Debt Reduction, Inventory Financing, Store Or Capacity Expansion
How Lalithaa, Shankesh, Augmont, Priority Jewels and Deepa Jewellers Turned March–September 2026 Into The Busiest Primary-Market Season The Organised Jewellery Trade Has Seen
The last six months have delivered the most active stretch of primary-market activity the Indian organised jewellery sector has seen in years. Between March and September 2026, at least five jewellery-linked companies — Lalithaa Jewellery Mart, Shankesh Jewellers, Augmont Enterprises, Priority Jewels and Deepa Jewellers — took the IPO route, collectively seeking to raise well over Rs 3,400 crore. A further wave, led by Nityas Gems and Jewellery and several smaller manufacturers, is queued behind them.

The common thread across issuers is capital intensity. Jewellery retail and B2B manufacturing are working-capital-hungry businesses — inventory, gold-purchase schemes and store rollouts all consume cash faster than they generate it — and IPO proceeds have been directed almost uniformly toward debt reduction, inventory financing and store or capacity expansion rather than diversification.
Investor response has been mixed but broadly favourable. Lalithaa’s Rs 1,700-crore issue and Augmont’s Rs 825-crore issue both drew triple-digit institutional demand and listed at premiums above 20%; Shankesh Jewellers, by contrast, was subscribed a comparatively modest 2.80 times yet still surprised the market with an 11% listing pop, considerably ahead of its grey-market indication. Priority Jewels and Deepa Jewellers, still working through their listing timelines as this report goes to press, point to continued — if more measured — appetite for the sector.
Summary Table: Key Jewellery IPOs (Last Six Months)
| Company | Issue Size | Price Band (₹) | Subscription Window | Listing Date | Listing Gain | Subscription (x) |
| Lalithaa Jewellery Mart | ₹1,700 Cr | 190–201 | 17–19 Aug 2026 | 24 Aug 2026 | +31.99% (BSE) | 62.97x |
| Shankesh Jewellers | ₹367.18 Cr | 88–93 | 18–20 Aug 2026 | 25 Aug 2026 | +11.08% (NSE) | 2.80x |
| Augmont Enterprises | ₹825 Cr | 750–788 | 21–25 Aug 2026 | 31 Aug 2026 | +21.95% (NSE) | 105.8x–111.2x |
| Priority Jewels | ₹91.50 Cr | 190–200 | 28 Aug–1 Sep 2026 | 4 Sep 2026 (tent.) | GMP-implied ~12% | 100.45x |
| Deepa Jewellers | ₹459.72 Cr | 168–177 | 1–3 Sep 2026 | 8 Sep 2026 (tent.) | Pending | Pending |
Other Jewellery IPOs in the Pipeline
Nityas Gems and Jewellery Ltd
- Status: Received SEBI’s observation letter on July 23, 2026, clearing the way to launch within twelve months
- Profile: Surat-based manufacturer of lab-grown diamond-studded gold jewellery, operating a dual B2B/D2C model with clients including GIVA, Palmonas, ONYA and Ladia Diamonds, and a direct-to-consumer arm via subsidiary Ayaani Diamonds and Jewellery
- Issue structure: An entirely fresh issue of roughly 1.44 crore equity shares, with proceeds earmarked mainly for working capital
Additional Names to Watch
Beyond the issues profiled above, several other jewellery-sector companies have filed draft papers or are working through confidential pre-filing with SEBI, including Master Chains N Jewels (which has filed a DRHP for a Rs 400 crore fresh issue) and other manufacturers and retailers reported to be preparing mainboard filings. Exact price bands and launch windows for this second tier remain unconfirmed as of early September 2026, and readers should treat any figures circulating for these names as provisional until formal RHPs are filed.
7. Market Context & Trends
Investor Appetite Has Been Uneven, Not Uniform
The headline story is strong demand, but the pattern beneath it is more nuanced. Lalithaa (62.97x) and Augmont (105–111x) drew genuinely broad-based institutional conviction, while Priority Jewels’ 100.45x subscription was driven disproportionately by retail and non-institutional bidders. Shankesh Jewellers is the outlier: a modest 2.80x overall subscription nonetheless produced an 11% listing pop — a reminder that grey-market chatter and formal subscription data do not always predict listing-day outcomes.
Listing Gains Have Broadly Rewarded Investors
Every jewellery IPO that has listed in this window has done so at a premium to its issue price: Lalithaa at roughly 32%, Augmont at roughly 22%, and Shankesh at roughly 11%. Grey-market premiums, however, have proven an imperfect guide — both Lalithaa and Augmont listed below their GMP-implied levels, while Shankesh listed well above its GMP indication, underscoring that GMP should be read as a sentiment gauge rather than a price forecast.
Capital Is Flowing Toward Debt and Working Capital, Not Diversification
Across every issuer in this cohort, the stated use of proceeds skews heavily toward debt repayment, inventory financing and store or facility expansion — a pattern that reflects how working-capital-intensive organised jewellery retail and B2B manufacturing remain, even for well-established, profitable brands.
With Priority Jewels and Deepa Jewellers still to list, and Nityas Gems and Jewellery — along with a second tier of smaller manufacturers — working through SEBI’s approval process, the jewellery sector’s primary-market pipeline shows little sign of thinning heading into the second half of FY27. For issuers, the lesson of this cycle is that strong brand recognition and headline revenue growth alone have not guaranteed outsized institutional demand; balance-sheet quality, cash-flow discipline and a credible use-of-proceeds story appear to matter just as much to the eventual listing outcome. For investors, the spread of results — from Lalithaa’s blockbuster debut to Shankesh’s under-subscribed-yet-strong listing — argues for evaluating each issuer on its own financial and operational merits rather than treating “jewellery IPO” as a single, uniform trade.
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