Mumbai, Nov 6 (PTI) Jewellers remained upbeat on Dhanteras, with retailers expecting footfalls to gather pace as the day progresses

Mumbai, Nov 6 (PTI) Jewellers remained upbeat on Dhanteras, with retailers expecting footfalls to gather pace as the day progresses

Mumbai, Nov 6 (PTI) Jewellers remained upbeat on Dhanteras, with retailers expecting footfalls to gather pace as the day progresses

Mumbai, Nov 6 (PTI) Jewellers remained upbeat on Dhanteras, with retailers expecting footfalls to gather pace as the day progresses and continue until late at night, buoyed by strong bookings over the past few days.

     All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) Chairman Rajesh Rokde said jewellers opened their shops as early as 8 am and decorated their outlets with a festive theme to mark Diwali.

     "Customers have just started arriving, mainly to collect jewellery booked in advance. We expect retailers to remain open and conduct business until late into the night.

     "With the US elections and weakness in bullion prices lending support to consumer sentiment, we expect sales volumes this year to be at par with last year or even marginally higher," he said.

     This year, he said, consumers are mainly going for lightweight and 18K jewellery and other pocket-friendly items.

     Dhanteras is considered the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar to buy precious metals.

     Gold in the national capital fell 19 per cent to Rs 1,48,800 per 10 gram (24-carat, inclusive of taxes) on Thursday, from the record Rs 1,83,000 on January 29, 2026. Prices remain well above the Rs 1,32,400 seen on last year's Dhanteras on October 18.

     Silver has corrected 52 per cent to Rs 1,94,500 per kg from its January 29 peak of Rs 4,04,500, but is still higher than the Rs 1,70,000 per kg on Dhanteras 2025.

     GJC Vice Chairman Avinash Gupta said footfalls have just begun, and retailers expect customer traffic to peak around 2 pm and continue until late at night.

     "We have witnessed a very encouraging number of advance bookings over the past three days, which we expect to translate into strong sales today, being an auspicious occasion.

     "This year, consumer preference is largely tilted towards lightweight and 18K jewellery. We expect sales volumes of both gold and silver to remain at par with last year's levels," he stated.

     Retailers are also rolling out offers and schemes to draw shoppers.

     India is the world's second-largest gold consumer after China and one of the largest global importers.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)