WGC said the Covid-19 disruption has caused jewellery retailers India to re-evaluate their existing business model
Buying jewellery is not investing in gold. It loses 20-25 per cent of value as soon as you take it out of the showroom. Gold bars and coins have purity concerns
Gold, fixed income do well; Nifty50 stocks do not compensate for extra risk
Currently, transaction in paper gold is available in the form of exchange-traded fund
WGC said India's cultural identity is greatly intertwined with gold which is widely referenced in ancient scripts
A recent study by the WGC said global gold demand during the Jan-Mar quarter grew just 1% to 1,083.8 tonnes
Global holdings of physically-backed gold ETFs and similar products jumped by 298 tonnes during the March quarter - the highest quarterly inflows for four years
Record high local prices, coupled with short-term pressure on household finances, could encourage people to sell gold
As many as 1,005 rural and 1,280 urban investors were surveyed
Move spurred by unprecedented decline in demand; WGC is also working with large institutions for a bullion exchange in India, and with assaying centres to build consumers' trust
At stake is the livelihood of millions of gig workers who provide wedding-related services - jewellers, designers, tailors, caterers, pavilion and tent providers and so on
The sharp rise, according to the WGC, was triggered by a flight to safety amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic that hit world economy hard, and plunged most global equity markets into a bear phase
WGC estimates the total fourth quarter demand for gold at 1,045.2 tonnes - a drop of 19 per cent year-on-year
As Indian gold prices jumped 25% in 2019, hitting a record high, consumption fell 9% from the previous year to 690.4 tonnes, the lowest since 2016, the WGC said
World Gold Council to initiate talks with industry bodies; move is aimed at controlling jewellers' default, building lender's confidence as well
Consumers sold 37.9 tonnes of the yellow metal in June quarter, says World Gold Council
Further the report noted that central banks added 156.2 tonne to reserves in Q3, falling 38 per cent in comparison to the record Q3 last year.
The market potential for bullion banking in India, according to the council, has an estimated value between $300 million and 500 million
Safe-haven buying of the metal has seen prices hitting a seven-year high in the international market and a life-time high in India
Formed as a non-profit organization with 50:50 joint venture between WGC and MMTC Pamp, the institute would conduct education at India Institute of Gems and Jewellery