Indian jewellery buyers return as gold prices stabilise ahead of festive season

Deferred purchases are reviving across jewellery stores as post-correction price stability lifts footfalls, old-gold exchanges, retailer replenishment and manufacturer orders before the wedding and festive period.

— Source publishedSat, 22 Aug, 2026, 14:21 IST·First seen Mon, 24 Aug, 2026, 09:08 IST·Source ET Retail

What happened

World Gold Council · Indian jewellery demand is recovering as stable post-correction gold prices bring back deferred buyers. Store footfalls, manufacturer

Key facts

  • Domestic gold prices rose nearly 7% to Rs 1,51,744 per 10 grams in the first two weeks of August
  • International gold prices rose 9% to $4,391 per ounce
  • Gold ETF July net inflows: Rs 1,560 crore, down 55% from June
  • Gold ETF holdings: 120 tonnes, up 1 tonne in July
  • Gold ETF AUM: Rs 1.73 lakh crore, up 2% month-on-month
  • Estimated gold ETF inflows in first two weeks of August: Rs 1,179 crore
  • 57,000 gold ETF folios added in July; total folios reached 1.253 crore
  • Discounts to landed prices narrowed to about $45 per ounce from around $100

Why this matters

Improving demand conditions make this a timely window to evaluate partnerships or acquisitions in jewellery retail, sourcing and exchange networks with strong festive-season reach.

What to watch

  • Sustained narrowing of Indian dealer discounts below current levels and a continued rise in local premiums.
  • Weekly jewellery footfall, wedding bookings, advance orders and old-gold exchange volumes.
  • Gold price stability in rupee terms, including the effect of USD/INR moves and international bullion volatility.
  • Retailer inventory days, manufacturer order-book growth and delivery lead-time extension.
  • Festival and wedding calendar demand versus lightweight-jewellery mix and average ticket size.
  • Import volumes, bullion-bank supply availability and any duty or policy changes affecting domestic gold prices.
  • Increase replenishment of proven festive and bridal SKUs, especially lightweight, studded and exchange-friendly ranges.
  • Secure manufacturing capacity and bullion hedging before wedding-season order books tighten.
  • Use old-gold exchange promotions and transparent price-lock offers to convert postponed buyers.
  • Monitor regional store traffic and sell-through daily to avoid overstocking if bullion prices move sharply.
  • Expect stronger demand for financing, gold-loan settlements, appraisal services and reverse-logistics tied to exchange activity.