Gold shines brighter this Dhanteras: Prices jump 60% year-on-year, touch ₹1.34 lakh per 10 grams

The festive season has kicked off with Dhanteras, the most auspicious day for gold purchases. However, this year, the glitter has come at a record-high price. Gold rates have skyrocketed by over 60% compared to last year’s Dhanteras, leaving both jewellers and investors astonished. The precious metal has once again proven to be one of the most rewarding investment options amid global economic uncertainty.

On Dhanteras in 2024, the price of 24-carat gold was ₹80,510 per 10 grams. In contrast, this year, the price has soared to around ₹1,34,000 per 10 grams. This indicates a rise of more than 60% in just one year.

Over the past five years, gold has consistently delivered positive returns for investors, except in FY 2020–21, when it recorded a 5% negative return. In FY 2022–23, gold yielded a 20% return, and in FY 2023–24, it exceeded 30%. For the current FY 2024–25, gold’s return has reached 55%.

If an investor had purchased gold worth ₹1 lakh last Dhanteras, its value today would have grown by more than ₹55,000.

Despite such a steep increase in prices, the demand for gold remains strong in terms of value. In 2025, the quantity of gold sold has dropped by 20% compared to last year. Yet, the total value of gold sold has risen by 15–20%, underscoring that gold continues to be one of the most preferred investment assets.

While gold has delivered returns exceeding 55%, benchmark indices like Nifty 50 have offered just about 3.5% returns. Even though the number of equity investors has been rising, gold has outperformed the stock market by a wide margin.

The continued global economic uncertainty and steady gold purchases by central banks—with the Reserve Bank buying 1,180 tonnes of gold last year and an estimated 1,000 tonnes this year—have fuelled the persistent surge in gold prices.