Wait and watch approach

Gold was down last week till Wednesday but again gained momentum on Thursday. It saw a sharp rally from Wednesday’s bottom but pulled back once again on Friday.

In 2018, gold was highly influenced by a wide variety of factors -

• Brexit
• Election of U.S President Donald Trump
• Geopolitical events
• US China trade war
• Global equities
• Iranian Sanctions in Venezuela
• Midterm elections
• Cyber attacks
• Collapse of peace talks with North Korea

These all have the highest likelihood of impacting markets in 2018 and 2019 and thus creating volatility which will likely bring about a rally in gold prices.

Since these series of events are either on going or about to happen, markets player are now following the wait and watch approach.

US midterm elections will definitely have a major impact on global currencies and assets across all classes. Hence investors and traders are not being much active and are waiting for something concrete to occur as Midterm elections may stimulate safe-haven buying,”

Interestingly gold has not only bounced, it has shown this behavior in spite of stability in the dollar. Gold is expected to rise further

Interestingly, gold, largely left for dead, has rallied. Not only has gold bounced, but it has done so despite a steady dollar. Which raises the question: Why is gold rallying now? Here are some potential reasons:

Steady dollar - While the DXY Index is pushing against the upper end of its five-month range, the dollar has been relatively stable since May. This is important as a rapidly strengthening dollar, as we witnessed last spring, has historically been a headwind for gold.

Inflation - Besides the dollar, the biggest challenge for gold in 2018 has been rising real rates, i.e. interest rates after inflation. Higher real rates raise the opportunity cost of an asset that produces no income. Between January and early October, real 10-year yields advanced by 50 basis points. However, since then, real rates seem to have temporarily peaked near the levels reached in 2013 and hence its stability will bring in a rise in gold prices.

Volatility - While real rates and the dollar are key fundamental drivers for gold, demand for a hedge against volatility also drives gold prices. With the exception of the brief correction in February, that attribute has not been in demand until recently. Prior to the recent swoon, U.S. equities were well on their way towards another year of double-digit gains. Unfortunately, this pleasant trajectory has been interrupted. Equity market volatility has doubled since early October. This is important, as gold has a history of performing best versus stocks when volatility is spiking.


These factors have historically proved that in such a volatile environment gold always acts as a safe haven asset and a hedge tool. Give this characteristic of gold it’s obvious that any minor crisis will also bring about a rise in the demand for the yellow metal which will further push the prices higher.

Moving to the domestic markets, sales have dampened this Diwali. Physical gold demand in India was lacklustre this week, with dealers offering discounts for the metal ahead of a traditionally busy festival week for the first time in at least three years, as high prices kept consumers away.

Prices in India, the second biggest gold consumer after China, held near 33,000 Indian rupees per 10 grams, the highest since September 2013, ahead of the Dhanteras and Diwali festivals next week, when buying gold is considered auspicious.

This Dhanteras, jewellers and bullion traders witnessed a drop in demand. Retail buyers are not interested in buying at this level. Furthermore, The Indian currency has lost more than 12 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar so far in 2018, making purchases of commodities denominated in the greenback more expensive.

Post Diwali, jewellers still have hope of a rise in the demand during the wedding season.
Like global investors and markets players, jewellers in India too are following this approach- to wait and to watch.

Gold Expected to Drift Lower by Year End

Firstly, wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali and a Prosperous year ahead.

And indeed it was a Happy Diwali for domestic jewellers, as the slump in gold demand had finally gained momentum this October.

Demand for gold jumped in India this week on account of Dhanteras and Diwali, but high prices took some sheen off the yellow metal's lure during the key festival period this year.

Demand in the world's second largest gold consumer generally rises during the final quarter as the country welcome the festive and wedding seasons, where buying bullion is considered auspicious and propitious.

Though a lull was witnessed in gold demand during Dussehra, it significantly improved during Dhanteras and Diwali.

Gold prices spurted by Rs 290 to 3-week high of Rs 31,000 per 10 grams on the eve of Diwali at the bullion market on increased buying by local jewellers to meet festive demand.

Demand was expected to be even better, if global prices had shown similar movements. However in Asia and other international markets, gold prices were seen falling down.

CHINA - Elsewhere in Asia, there was a slight uptick in demand for physical gold, with benchmark spot gold rates headed for a weekly decline after touching a one-week low of $1,276.22 an ounce on Thursday, pressured by a firmer dollar.

However, investors remained cautious, awaiting direction on economic policy and market reforms during the 19th Communist Party Congress in China which kicked off on Wednesday and were also focused on the upcoming elections in Japan.

In top consumer China, premiums charged ranged between $8 and $12 per ounce over the benchmark this week, compared with $9-$14 a week earlier

JAPAN - Gold hit its lowest in more than two weeks on Monday as expectations that Japan’s ultra-loose monetary policy would stay in place after Shinzo Abe’s election victory at the weekend lifted the dollar to a three-month high versus the yen.

Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s win also fed into positive sentiment in equity markets that were buoyed last week by fresh optimism about tax cuts in the United States, curbing interest in gold as an alternative asset.

U.S. DOLLAR & U.S. ECONOMY- Gold prices touched the lowest in more than one week on Thursday, as the dollar stood firm on rising U.S. Treasury yields, with investors focusing on who would replace Janet Yellen as the next chair of the Federal Reserve.

Financial markets are now awaiting guidance on who will succeed Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, whose term expires in February.

U.S. President Donald Trump is considering nominating Fed Governor Jerome Powell and Stanford University economist John Taylor for the central bank’s top two jobs. Powell is considered less hawkish than Taylor, who is seen advocating higher interest rates.

Moreover, the economy expanded at a modest to moderate pace in September through early October, despite the impact of hurricanes on some regions, the Fed said its latest snapshot of the U.S. economy thus hinting markets that the US economy is doing well which will further create a downward pressure on gold.

The dollar had already posted its biggest one-day gain in a month on Friday after the U.S. Senate approved a budget blueprint for the 2018 financial year, allowing Republicans to pursue a tax-cut package without Democratic support.

The dollar hit its highest in about two weeks versus the yen, supported by this week's rise in U.S. bond yields, with U.S. President Donald Trump set to make a decision in the "coming days" on Yellen, who is also one of the five candidates being considered for the job.

Higher interest rates tend to boost the dollar and push bond yields up, putting pressure on gold by increasing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.

Tensions on the Korean peninsula, however, continue to weigh upon gold and the metal could drift down towards the $1,250 level by early December weighed down by the prospect of a further increase to U.S. interest rates in December.

Importance of Dhanteras

This October calls for festive celebration as it welcome Diwali and Dhanteras. The festival of lights is preceded with Dhanteras when people throng markets to buy gold items and utensils for daily utility. But have you ever wondered why?

Today, let's get to know why Dhanteras remains the much-awaited festival among Indians and also possibly the best one for purchasing gold after Akshaya Tritiya. Dhanteras happens to fall on the first day of the five-day-long Diwali festivity. Interestingly, the festival also goes by the name 'Dhanatrayodashi' or 'Dhanvantari Trayodashi'. The word 'Dhan' means wealth and 'Trayodashi' means 13th day as per Hindu calendar. Dhanteras usually falls on a day or two before Lakshmi Puja during Diwali.

It is largely believed that on Dhanteras goddess Lakshmi visits the homes of her devotees and fulfils their wishes. It holds special significance for the business community due to the customary purchases of precious metals on this day. Also, Lord Kubera, the God of assets and wealth is also worshipped on this day.

Most Hindu families prefer purchasing gold during Diwali. Purchasing gold during Diwali is religiously significant as buying gold during Diwali is considered auspicious. The ritual of buying gold during Diwali is equivalent of inviting Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity at home.

Apart from jewellery, the most preferred items to purchase gold during Diwali are coins. In India, gold coins are specially moulded for Diwali with Goddess Lakshmi embossed on the front and her symbol Shri embossed at the other side of the coin. In other coins, both Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha, and optionally Goddess Saraswati, are embossed on gold coins.

Is the first day of Diwali which usually falls one or two days before Lakshmi Puja. This year we celebrate Dhanteras on 17th October and Diwali on 19th October .This festival is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm and energy. If Diwali is called Festival of rights, we can call Dhanteras the Festival of buying gold and silver. And most of the purchasers buy gold during particular Muhurat. The Muhurat (chogdiya) for this year are:


Dhanatrayodashi Muhurat to Buy Gold 

October 17, 2017 (Tuesday) - 06:26 to 24:08+

Auspicious Choghadiya timings between 06:26 to 24:08+
Morning Muhurta (Char, Labh, Amrit) = 09:17 - 13:31
Afternoon Muhurta (Shubh) = 14:56 - 16:21
Evening Muhurta (Labh) = 19:21 - 20:56
Night Muhurta (Shubh, Amrit, Char) = 22:31 - 24:08+

5 YEAR (2011-2016) POST DIWALI ANALYSIS: RSBL

 By Mr. Prithviraj Kothari, MD, RSBL

Buying gold and silver is considered to be auspicious in most of the festival especially on Akshay Tritiya, Dussehra, Dhanteras and Diwali. Even jewellers project gold in different manner during festival season.  Jewellery houses offer attractive discounts and other such schemes to lure the customers. Some have gone a step further and are offering discounts on the making charges as well.

We usually hear in advertisement that “Diamond is forever” but for Indian market if we see craziness about gold than for us “Gold is forever” seems to be the apt statement.

A historical analysis shows that largely on the day of Diwali, gold prices witness a correction, while the price increase actually takes place around two weeks prior to the festival.

Generally I have always been asked what are your projections for Diwali, how does the market look etc. But this year I have put across a post Diwali gold analysis from 2011- 2016. Let’s have a look.

                   

Diwali 2011- Gold prices ended steady at INR 31,300 per ten grams in special Diwali trading on 26^th October,  on selective buying, while silver fell by INR 150 to INR 49,000 per kg on reduced off-take.
Traders said the gold remained steady on token buying by market participants to mark the beginning of new Hindu Samvat year 2070, while silver declined on lack of support.

They said buying activity was restricted and the volume of business limited. Gold buying in India, the world's biggest buyer of the metal, tapered off further after the festival week, even as domestic users started getting small import lots, weighing on premiums.
India, struggling with a high trade deficit and weak currency, had been trying to curb demand for gold, the second-biggest import item after oil. It has made gold expensive for consumers by setting a record 10 percent import duty and made supplies harder to come which kept gold more or less stablisied.

Diwali 2012- Generally, gold sales remain good throughout year but when festival season starts gold breaks record in terms of purchase demands in India. Its seems to be true for 2012 too. Although gold price was nearby INR 32,000/- per 10 gm. on Dhanteras, it did not affect the demand and the craze to own the yellow metal continued. Gold is considered as safe haven. Gold investment also helps in bad financial situation that is the reason people don’t hesitate in purchasing gold even at higher price.

Once again this year people showed added interest in purchasing Gold. That is the reason country’s top two exchanges BSE and NSE recorded a total turnover of over INR 2,200 crore in gold ETF on Dhanteras and simultaneously demand for gold coins and bars as also high. 

Although Gold was trading at a record price of INR 32,000 per 10gm. Investors were still investing in gold because they knew that investment in gold is secure as it gives return like 670% in 10 years which is difficult to achieve from other asset class and it was a life time high in 2012 which kept the faith of investors in the yellow metal alive

Diwali 2013-  Since 2013 was one of the worst performing years for gold, the demand for it declined too. In the domestic bullion market shows that demand had slowed drastically as compared to the last festive season. Gold prices were trading at levels of around

Rs30, 000/10gm and this factor to a great extent is seen as having a dampener effect on demand for gold jewellery. While compulsive gold shoppers would yearn to buy gold coins and bars, because of the tight supply conditions they may not be able to do so.

A firm global trend on speculation that the US Fed might maintain stimulus to boost economic growth also supported the sentiment, they said. On the other hand, jewellers were seen offering discounts on making charges in order to lure buyers. Then too, sentiments doing rounds in the gold market are on the weaker side for 2013  thus affecting big purchases among the small to-middle income group category

Diwali 2014-  Gold sales in India during the festivals of Diwali and Dhanteras celebrated this week rose by about a fifth, a senior official at the country's biggest gold trade group said

Premiums in India, the second biggest buyer of bullion, jumped to $17-$18 an ounce during Diwali. Diwali sales across the country were very good. It was about 20 per cent higher compared to 2013. The strong demand from India was supporting global gold prices.
India set a record high import duty on gold last year to curb its trade deficit, and made it necessary for importers to re-export a fifth of all their purchases. The move contained imports into the country, with the resulting supply shortage sending local premiums to about $160 an ounce over the global benchmark at one point. Some of the rules were eased earlier this year, leading to higher imports and a fall in local prices. This year prices were low, sentiment was good and there was a  stable government in the centre; all of these helped boost sales. In anticipation of strong demand during the festivals, India had imported $3.75 billion worth of gold in September - a 450 per cent jump from the same period last year.

India imported 151.6 tonnes of gold in November, up nearly 38 per cent from October, as traders bought aggressively expecting curbs on overseas purchases.

India last year levied a record import duty of 10 per cent on gold and introduced the 80:20 rules after surging trade and current account deficits sparked the worst currency turmoil since the 1998 balance of payment crisis.

But instead of putting in place more restrictions, the government surprisingly scrapped the so-called 80:20 rule in the previous month, mandating traders to export a fifth of all imported gold. Traders had few takers for the gold they bought in November.
Trading agencies were expecting curbs on imports and subsequently higher premium in December. So they imported more than their requirement but were then struggling to find buyers.

Diwali 2015- Rising for the second straight day, gold prices edged up by INR. 5 to reach INR. 26,235 per 10 grams on the eve of Diwali that fell on November 11.The bullion market witnessed increased buying by jewellers to meet festive and wedding season demand amid a mixed global trend.

Silver, however, met with resistance and dropped by INR. 535 to trade below INR. 35,000-mark at INR. 34,875 per kg. Traders said sustained buying by jewellers to meet festive season demand and a better trend overseas mainly kept gold prices higher.

Diwali 2016- Gold prices drifted lower by INR 100 to INR 30,650 per 10 grams in special 'Diwali Muhurat' trading at the bullion market on Sunday in the absence of worthwhile activity.

However, silver held steady at INR 43,000 per kg on scattered buying support from industrial units and coin makers. Traders attributed the fall in gold prices to absence of activity as jewellers kept buying restricted.

They, however, added that token buying activity on the auspicious occasion of 'Diwali' and the beginning of Hindu Samvat Year 2073 capped the fall.

Over all, unlike 2012, we did not get to see gold touching Rs. 32000 mark during Diwali since then. Gold seems to have been steady withing Rs. 25,5000- Rs.30,500 range around the festive season.

The primary purpose of this article by Mr. Prithviraj Kothari is to educate the masses of the current happenings in the Bullion world.

Previous blog:

"An Action Packed December: RSBL"

 http://riddisiddhibullionsltd.blogspot.in/2016/10/an-action-packed-december.html