Gold Nears Record Highs as Indian Investors Move From Lockers to Demat Accounts
India's domestic gold prices rose 12% in August to ₹1,58,854 per 10 grams, tracking a 13% jump in the global benchmark to US$4,386 an ounce. Total gold ETF assets in the country climbed to about ₹1.91 lakh crore, backed by 121.3 tonnes of the metal, with year-to-date net inflows of US$4.22 billion. Average daily turnover in MCX gold futures rose 38% month on month to roughly ₹29,500 crore. Physical gold imports fell to US$2.3 billion in August, down 58% from a year earlier.