Customs officials at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport have thwarted two separate gold smuggling attempts, seizing over 3.17 kg of gold worth approximately Rs 4.35 crore and arresting three foreign nationals.
Precious metal prices, particularly gold and silver, experienced a significant surge in the national capital as investors sought safe-haven assets amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
Analysts predict a surge in gold and silver prices as investors seek safe-haven assets due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The impact on domestic prices will depend on the conflict's duration, with geopolitical factors and macroeconomic data also playing a role.
Precious metal prices surged in futures trading, with silver hitting Rs 2.93 lakh per kg and gold nearing Rs 1.68 lakh per 10 grams, driven by safe-haven demand following US-Israel strikes in Iran and retaliatory attacks.
A 30-year-old man in Latur, Maharashtra, was arrested within hours of stealing his mother's gold ornaments from their home.
The recent correction suggests that while precious metals hedge geopolitical tension and inflation, they are not immune to sharp short-term corrections and profit-booking.
The highlight in January, with no surprise, has been flows into gold and silver ETFs.
Two medical students were arrested in Pithoragarh for allegedly snatching a gold chain and mobile phone from a woman. The students, identified as Sunny Singh and Himani Bora, were apprehended while attempting to flee.
Gold imports climbed 349.22 per cent to $12.07 billion in January, while silver imports rose 127 per cent to $2 billion.
Gold prices surged in futures trading due to escalating US-Iran tensions, driving demand for the safe-haven asset.
Olympians Elavenil Valarivan and Arjun Babuta proved an unstoppable pair, clinching the 10m air rifle mixed team gold with a flawless display as Indian shooters continued their dominance at the Asian Championship (Rifle/Pistol) on Sunday.
Pramod Bhagat secured the men's SL3 gold medal at the BWF Para World Championships, defeating Muhammad Al Imran of Indonesia in straight games in the final.
Esha Singh fought off challenges from two Chinese Taipei shooters as well as compatriot Suruchi Singh, to claim her second individual senior Asian Championship gold, even as Samrat Rana bagged bronze.
Gold prices are likely to trade firm next week as traders await key economic data, including US inflation numbers, for fresh cues on interest rate outlook, while silver may remain volatile amid shifting risk sentiment and speculative activity, analysts said.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
The bull-market in gold is not yet over and prices can rise to $6,200 an ounce (oz) by mid-2026, up nearly 25 per cent from current levels, according to UBS.
Tejaswin Shankar won the men's heptathlon event to clinch India's lone gold as the country ended the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships campaign with five medals. India finished overall sixth in the medals tally.
Manu Bhaker won silver in the women's 25m pistol at the Asian Shooting Championships after losing a dramatic shoot-off, while Esha Singh claimed bronze in New Delhi.
Olympian Elavenil Valarivan held her nerve to fend off a strong challenge from Japan's Misaki Nobata and clinch the women's 10m air rifle gold at the Asian Shooting Championship.
Rudrankksh Patil secured a gold medal at the Asian Championship, with Arjun Babuta taking silver, highlighting India's strong performance in the men's 10m air rifle event. India also secured the team gold.
Gold prices fell by Rs 400 to Rs 1.6 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Thursday amid weak global trends and receding expectations of an interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve.
Lovlina, Arundhati lead as India claim nine gold medals in BOXAM Elite 2026
'People become guided by emotions, fear of missing out, and greed. They tend to invest in booming sectors that may prove exceptionally expensive.' 'Typically, that represents the peak, and subsequently, they lose substantially.'
Silver and gold prices snapped a two-day rebound and declined sharply up to 10 per cent in the futures trade on Thursday amid weak trends in the international markets and a strong US dollar.
The gold loan portfolio across the system has nearly doubled to Rs 15.6 lakh crore in two years to November 2025, as a spike in prices of the precious commodity encouraged lenders to increase their exposures to the safer segment, a report said on Wednesday.
International shooter Sambhaji Patil, a gold medallist in the 2016 Junior World Cup, was killed on Monday when his car hit a truck on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar district of Maharashtra.
The RBI has flagged concerns over rising volatility in gold prices and advised lenders to exercise caution in the gold loan segment.
'A breakout above 158,000 to 160,000 could trigger the next leg higher toward 165,000 to 170,000.'
Silver and gold prices declined sharply in the futures trade on Friday as traders booked profits at elevated levels after a record-breaking rally, tracking a bearish sentiment in global markets and a rebound in the US dollar.
Silver prices on Thursday breached the record Rs 4 lakh per kilogram mark in futures trade, while gold touched a lifetime high of Rs 1.8 lakh per 10 grams, riding on strong investor demand and record gains in the international markets.
Pramod Bhagat, Sukant Kadam claim two gold a piece in Egypt
Gold and silver prices plunged up to 9 per cent in futures trade on Sunday, hitting their lower circuit levels ahead of the Union Budget for 2026-27, as investors extended profit booking after the recent record-breaking rally.
Domestic gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw their holdings jump 65 per cent to 95 tonnes in 2025, elevating Indian ETFs to sixth place globally, going by holdings of the yellow metal. At the end of 2024, they ranked eighth with 57.5 tonnes of holding, according to an analysis of data from the World Gold Council (WGC).
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold loss case arrested chief priest of the Lord Ayyappa temple, Kandararu Rajeevaru in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, sources said.
Gold ETFs attracted around Rs 11,700 crore, the highest in a calendar month.
Four individuals have been apprehended following a 48-day search in Rajasthan forests for allegedly stealing jewellery worth Rs 6.79 crore from a Mumbai shop.
Their assets under management (AUM) rose from Rs 1.04 trillion (January 31, 2025) to Rs 1.75 trillion (January 31, 2026), an increase of 68.3 per cent.
Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain and two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen will lead the Indian contingent at the Asian Boxing Championships in Mongolia.
Gold extended its record-breaking run to breach the Rs 1.5 lakh per 10-gram mark in futures trade on Tuesday, while silver surged to a lifetime high of Rs 3.27 lakh per kg as investors rushed to safe-haven assets amid mounting global tensions. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures for February delivery climbed Rs 6,861, or 4.7 per cent, to record Rs 1,52,500 per 10 grams after settling at Rs 1,45,639 per 10 grams in the previous session.
'We expect modest returns in 2026 versus the steep gains seen over the past few years.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances