National News
Dhanteras 2025: What to Expect — High Gold Prices, Smart Buying Trends, and Wedding-Driven Demand are all set to boost market growth
Popular choices will include lightweight designs, investment-grade pieces & hallmark-certified gold.This trend in smart buying is projected to contribute to a 12-15% rise in gold sales this year.
As Dhanteras 2025 approaches, the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) shares key insights into consumer behaviour, market expectations, and emerging trends shaping this festive season’s gold and jewellery purchases. Despite elevated gold prices, demand will remain robust, driven by strong consumer sentiment and the enduring appeal of gold as both an investment and a cultural asset. Recent GST reforms, rolled out in September 2025, will also play a key role in increasing consumer confidence. The simplified tax structure and increased disposable income are helping sustain footfalls across organised retail, even as buyers negotiate on making charges and discounts. Jewellers across India are reporting consistent interest, especially among younger buyers who are gravitating toward sustainable & responsibly sourced jewellery. Popular choices this season include lightweight designs, investment-grade pieces, and hallmark-certified gold.

Retailers are also seeing increased interest in gold coins and versatile daily-wear jewellery, as buyers seek both aesthetic appeal and financial security. A notable trend is also seen of early buying by families with weddings planned for 2026, aiming to lock in current prices before anticipated hikes. This strategic buying behaviour is expected to contribute to a projected 12–15% growth in gold sales this year.
GJC’s Lucky Lakshmi Jewellery Sales Festival 2025, running from Sept 22 to Nov 9, is a nationwide initiative by the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council to boost jewellery sales. With the theme “Celebrate You,” it features promotions, lucky draws, and digital campaigns to drive self-purchase and support retailers of all sizes.

“We’re seeing a wave of smart, purposeful buying this Dhanteras,” said Rajesh Rokde, Chairman of GJC. “Consumers are not only embracing traditional purchases but also evolving toward eco-conscious and investment-driven choices. The festive season, coupled with a surge in upcoming weddings, is fueling demand. Our Lucky Lakshmi initiative continues to be a game-changer, especially among Gen Z buyers, thanks to digital campaigns and influencer-led outreach. With prices recently climbing to Rs.129,430 per 10 grams, we anticipate continued momentum through Diwali, possibly breaching Rs.130,000. This reinforces gold’s role as a safe haven for Indian households.”
“Gold buying during Dhanteras is deeply rooted in tradition, but today’s consumers are more informed and selective,” added Avinash Gupta, Vice Chairman of GJC.. “We’re seeing a clear shift toward informed and value-driven purchases—buyers are prioritising hallmark certification, sustainable sourcing, and designs that offer both aesthetic appeal and long-term value. Lightweight jewellery and gold coins are especially popular this season, as consumers look for versatile options that fit both festive and investment needs.

Our Lucky Lakshmi initiative continues to add momentum, offering attractive incentives that encourage early buying and reward loyal customers. Whether it’s for gifting, weddings, or wealth preservation, gold remains the centrepiece of festive prosperity.”
GJC urges consumers to buy only from trusted jewellers and to look for hallmark certification to ensure purity and authenticity. With evolving preferences, strategic buying, and festive optimism, Dhanteras 2025 is shaping up to be a season of meaningful purchases and enduring value.
National News
Outstanding gold-backed loans surge by 128% from a year earlier
India’s appetite for borrowing against gold is reshaping the country’s credit landscape. Outstanding gold-backed loans have surged 128% from a year earlier, crossing Rs.4 lakh crore ($48 billion) for the first time, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India. As of Jan. 31, loans secured by gold jewellery stood at Rs.4,00,517 crore, marking one of the fastest expansions in retail credit in recent years.
The boom in gold loans has helped propel overall non-food bank credit growth to 14.4% year-on-year. Personal loans now account for 34.5% of total bank lending, outpacing other segments and underscoring a broader shift toward consumer-driven credit expansion
Gold loans alone contributed roughly 9% of incremental bank credit during the period. Between January 2024 and January 2026, outstanding gold-backed credit rose by nearly Rs.3.1 lakh crore—an increase of about 338% over two years—more than quadrupling the size of the portfolio.
Two factors are driving the surge. First, gold prices have climbed roughly 152% over the past two years, increasing the collateral value of household holdings. Second, regulatory guidance requiring banks to classify loans secured by gold explicitly as gold loans has sharpened reporting and accelerated balance-sheet growth in the segment.
The trend highlights a distinctive feature of India’s financial system: households’ vast stock of physical gold, long viewed primarily as a store of wealth, is increasingly being mobilized as collateral for formal credit.
While personal lending and credit to nonbank financial companies within the services sector continue to expand rapidly, industrial credit remains uneven. Loans to micro, small and medium enterprises are growing steadily, but borrowing by large corporations has stayed relatively muted.
Since March 21, 2025, banks have added Rs.21.8 lakh crore to their non-food loan books, translating into 12% growth for the financial year to date. Yet it is gold—rather than factories or infrastructure—that is emerging as one of the most dynamic engines of India’s current credit cycle.
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