Gold’s impressive performance in 2019 may spill into the new decade

Spot gold — which last traded at about $1,461 an ounce — is up 14 per cent this year

Gold’s impressive advance in 2019 — aided by trade war frictions, easier monetary policy across the world’s leading economies and sustained central-bank buying — may be set to spill into the new decade.

As 2020 looms, BlackRock Inc., the world’s largest money manager, remains constructive on bullion as a hedge, while Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and UBS Group AG see prices climbing to $1,600 an ounce — a level last seen in 2013.

Bullion is heading for the biggest annual advance since 2010, outperforming the Bloomberg Commodity Spot Index, as a year dominated by trade war vicissitudes and a trio of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts propelled the traditional haven to the forefront. Still, with global equities remaining buoyant and the US labor market proving resilient, gold’s outlook isn’t clear cut due to uncertainty over what central banks will do in 2020.

“Economic growth and inflation remain moderate and central banks continue to lean toward accommodation,” said Russ Koesterich, portfolio manager at the $24 billion BlackRock Global Allocation Fund. “In this environment, any shocks to equities are likely to come from concerns over growth and, or geopolitics. In both scenarios, gold is likely to prove an effective hedge.”

Make a simple outfit shine using jewellery, make-up

With the festive season in full swing, picking the perfect ensemble with jewellery and make-up that accentuates the outfit is they key to stand out.

Raminder Singh, Principal Jewellery designer, BlueStone gives some tips on how to make your outfit shine with the appropriate jewellery.

* Pair busy patterns with subdued jewellery: If the outfit has a busy print or textures, ensure that it is paired with simple jewellery. Solid watches, earrings and bracelets go a long way. The focus should be on simplicity – a small pendant, diamond studs, and a simple bracelet is enough to make an outfit look complete.

* Highlight your face with statement earrings: Match your earrings to your face shape and put on a pair of statement earrings to bring out your best facial features. For example, women with heart-shaped faces should consider earrings that are wider at the bottom for a balanced look. If your face has an oval shape, triangular earrings and studs will showcase your cheekbones.

Beauty Tips

* Illuminate your skin tone with jewellery that complements it: Gold tones go well with darker hair, while silver illuminates most natural tones. White gold and gems that are purple, blue and red pair nicely with cooler skin tones. Warmer skin tones go well with orange, yellow and green gemstones, as well as with yellow metals.

* Colour coordination: For a complete look, it is imperative to coordinate the colour of the jewellery pieces based on the outfit. White pearls match well with blue and green outfits. Purple clothes should be paired with green emeralds or gold-toned jewellery. Diamonds can be coordinated with any look, and black jewellery makes a neutral outfit look spectacular.

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Akshay Kumar India’s highest earning entertainer, 76th on Forbes list

Kumar has moved up four places from 2017 list (80) and ousted Salman Khan from the pedestal

For an actor who famously started his working life as a waiter and a cook and whose early days in Bollywood were spent leaping mid-air, Akshay Kumar has come a long way. With $40.5 million (Rs 2.78 billion) to his name and ranked 76 in the global Forbes Top Earning 100 Celebrities 2018 list, he is the biggest celebrity brand that India has today, leaving the industry’s three Khans (Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir) who have held sway for years, way behind.

Kumar has moved up four places from 2017 list (80) and ousted Salman Khan from the pedestal. Salman, who ranks 82 on the 2018 Forbes list, is down 11 places from 2017 (71) and Shahrukh Khan who was ranked 65 in the 2017 list is not on it this year.

Akshay Kumar made his debut in 1991, as an ‘action’ star in movies that looked for athletic prowess over acting chops. Soon however he donned a new mask, that of a comedy star and then recently, he has changed his colours yet again. Today Kumar is known for the nationalistic-patriotic roles he does, a persona he often carries into his off-screen engagements with brands.

Hero with many faces

Listen to some of the old interviews of Akshay Kumar on YouTube and if there is one thing that strikes you is that he rarely (if ever) talks about an acting bug. Stunts, dancing, money, martial arts—these are the big attractions that Bollywood held out for him right from the start. In one interview he even spoke about how he was bowled over by the huge jump in his monthly pay packet that came about by doing just one movie.

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Akshaya Tritiya 2018: Offers raining on gold, diamond; all you need to know

It's raining sales on gold and diamond. Here is a list of portals offering tempting discounts to mark Akshaya Tritiya 2018

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Today is Akshaya Tritiya 2018, a day believed to bring good luck and success. It is believed that Akshaya Tritiya is good to initiate new beginnings and brings good fortune and luck. Most people start new businesses, buy land or jewellery, and invest in something on this day. All leading online portals – Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, etc – are enticing consumers with some heavy discounts on gold, platinum and diamond jewellery and giving an opportunity for shopaholics to shop to their heart's content. Moreover, leading jewellers have lined up attractive offers for buyers.

In order to cash in on Akshaya Tritiya, leading jewellers have lined up attractive offers. Tanishq, for example, is offering up to 25 per cent off on making charges of gold and value of diamond jewellery, while Malabar Gold & Diamonds is offering gold coins and gift cards. PC Jeweller claims to be offering the lowest prices on gold coins this Akshaya Tritiya.

Banks like HDFC are offering up to 5 per cent cashback on jewellery purchase. However, while you are excited to grab your diamonds and gold, the government, has in a tweet advised customers to purchase only BIS-Hallmarked Jewellery, which is available in 14, 18 and 22 carats.

It's raining sales on gold and diamond. Business Standard lists portals offering tempting discount to mark Akshaya Tritiya 2018:

1. Akshaya Tritiya 2018 offers from Tanishq: Starting today, the Bengaluru-based jewellery brand will offer up to 25% off on making charges of gold and diamond jewellery. Tanishq tweeted,"Celebrate this Akshaya Tritiya with us, and avail of up to 25% off on making charges of gold jewellery and diamond jewellery value!"

The company is also offering a wide range of designs under its Mangalam jewellery collection starting from Rs 10,000. Customers can opt to upgrade their old jewellery by exchanging and getting 100% value on them.

2. Akshaya Tritiya 2018 offers from Malabar Gold and Diamonds: The company has online 'AKSHAYA TRITIYA' offers, under which customers can get free gold coin on every purchase of jewellery worth Rs 15,000. If the order value is Rs 30,000, or more, you get two gold coins. The company also is offering 5 per cent value of jewellery purchased as e-gift card against a minimum shopping of Rs 15,000. This e-gift card can be redeemed online at the time of next purchase.

This offer is valid until April 25, 2018 on a single transaction done at www.malabargoldanddiamonds.com website only and not at any of retail showroom.

3. Akshaya Tritiya 2018 offers from Orra Jewellers: To celebrate Akshaya Tritiya, the company is offering 0 per cent making charges on gold bars and coins. The offer is valid till April 18. The company is providing a discount of 27 per cent on diamond jewellery. Besides, there is also a 50 per cent off on making charges of golden jewellery also available for customers.

4. Akshaya Tritiya 2018 offers from PC Chandra Jewellers: Anyone purchasing jewellery from here till April 22 will get gold coins. The offer is, however, not valid in Agartala.

5. Akshaya Tritiya 2018 offers from Om Jewellers: The company is offering a discount up to 51per cent on making of charges of jewellery of gold, platinum and uncut diamond. On IGI certified jewellery, the company is asking its customers 0% making charge.

6. Offers on Amazon: Brands like Senco Gold, Joyalukkas, Malabar Gold & Diamonds and TBZ-The Original are offering up to 50 per cent discount on jewellery.

7. Shopclues discount on Akshaya Tritiya 2018: Shopclues is offering up to 80% discount on diamond, gold and silver jewellery.

8. SBI Gold Deposit Scheme: State Bank of India offers a revamped gold deposit scheme (R-GDS). Customers can deposit their idle gold under R- GDS which will provide them safety, interest earnings and a lot more, says SBI on its website, sbi.co.in. The gold deposit will be accepted by SBI, the largest lender of the country, on behalf of the central government. On Akshaya Tritiya, which is considered an auspicious day for buying gold, you may consider investing in SBI's revamped gold deposit scheme.

9. Offers from Snapdeal this Akshaya Tritiya: Snapdeal will let you bag earrings, bangles, bracelets and more at wallet friendly prices, starting from Rs 199 only on Akshaya Tritiya.

10. Allahabad Bank wants you to invest in gold bonds this Akshaya Tritiya: Here's what Allahabad Bank has to offer on Akshaya Tritiya 2018:

Dhanteras 2017: Offers on gold are pouring in. Here's your guide

Are you planning to buy gold this Dhanteras? It is that time of the year when people flock to buy gold

 

economy news: It is that time of the year when people flock to buy gold. Dhanteras, an amalgamation of Sanskrit words dhan, that stands for wealth, and teras that refers to the 13th day of the Hindu calendar, is marked by praying to goddess Lakshmi and the purchase of gold objects.

To cater to the ritual of shopping on Dhanteras , various online websites have come up with attractive offers on gold, silver and other metals for the Diwali Sale season. From the option of buying gold for Re 1 to getting massive discounts on branded jewellery, the online shopping world is full of best deals for Dhanteras celebrations.

This year's Dhanteras comes after the government changed a key rule governing gold buying. As part of the push to revive consumer sentiment in the economy, the government recently allowed people to buy Rs 2 lakh worth of gold without quoting the permanent account number.

1. Buy Gold For Re 1: Paytm Gold: Under its 'Diwali Gold Sale', Paytm enables 3% additional gold on a minimum purchase of Rs 10,000 in this festive season. You have to use the promo code GOLDFEST to avail the offer. In order to sell gold, Paytm has partnered with MMTC-PAMP, for 24 karat gold. Alternatively, you can buy gold from it at for as little as Re 1.

2. Amazon Gold coins: If you aim to buy a gold coin, you must check out the offer from biggest e-tailer-Amazon. The e-tailer is offering its customers up to 10% discount on gold coins. You can choose from a range of leading brands like Joyalukkas......READ MORE

GST woes: India's gold imports to fall in H2; smuggling seen rising, says WGC

There have been fears the tax increase could stoke under-the-counter buying in India

India's gold imports will likely drop in the second-half of the year from the first six months after jewellers rushed to stock up ahead of new taxes introduced on July 1, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Thursday.

Faltering appetite in a country where gold is used in everything from investment to wedding gifts could rein in a rally in global prices, trading near their highest level in seven weeks. (economy policy)

"Expecting higher (taxes), certainly some of the imports and some of the demand from the second-half were advanced in the June quarter," Somasundaram PR, Managing Director of WGC's India operations, told Reuters.

As part of a new nationwide sales tax regime introduced in July, the goods and services tax (GST) on gold jumped to 3 percent from 1.2 percent previously. Jewellers have to pay that tax when buying gold imported by banks, while their customers must also pay when making purchases.

India is the world's No.2 gold consumer. The country's demand for the metal in the first-half rose 30 percent from a year ago to 298.4 tonnes, but imports during the period more than doubled to 518.6 tonnes, the WGC said in a report published on Thursday.

India's gold imports typically strengthen in the second-half of the year as the precious metal is considered an auspicious gift at festivals such as Diwali and Dussehra.

Indian gold demand is expected to remain subdued for a few weeks as "consumers who have recently purchased are unlikely to do so again in the short term", the WGC said.

There have been fears the tax increase could stoke under-the-counter buying in India, where millions of people store chunks of their wealth in bullion and jewellery.

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GST is a big positive, but I'm not investing in India yet: Jim Rogers

Interview with chairman of Rogers Holding

Economy news : As global equity markets continue on their journey north, JIM ROGERS, chairman of Rogers Holdings tells Puneet Wadhwa that he expects a correction going ahead. His decision of not to invest right now is not India specific, but has to do with the problems relating to how the major global economies are shaping up. Edited excerpts:

India has implemented the biggest tax reform in history - the goods and services tax (GST). What are your thoughts on the development?

With the implementation of GST, Prime Minister Modi has done what he said earlier. If GST can overhaul the tax system in India, it will be wonderful. This is the best thing to have happened to India by a politician since its independence, i.e. since the last 70 years.

What do you expect from the government in its remaining tenure? Do you see populist measures take centre stage with 2019 general elections in mind?

Well, Narendra Modi has done many populist things in the past. I think the last Union Budget had a number of populist measures as well. But, I don't know how populist will the GST will prove to be, as it is likely to disrupt a lot of people's lives. However, in the end, the measure will be good as it will overhaul the tax system in India. With the elections coming up in 2019, I am sure there will be other populist measures. Every politician in the world prepares for elections by giving away as much as he can.

What's your view on India now as an investment destination? Are you planning to invest here?

No, not yet. That's because I am not investing anywhere in the world right now. I am worried about the global financial markets and hence, I am in a wait-and-watch mode. If the United States (US), Japan or any other major market has problems, it will be a bad one. I am worried that the next time we have an economic slowdown, it's going to be very, very bad and will impact everyone. My decision of not to invest right now is not India specific, but has to do with the problems relating to how the major global economies are shaping up.

So, what's your view on the global financial markets from here on? Is a crash coming soon?

I expect a global financial problem in the latter half of the current financial year or in 2018, especially in the US. The US is the largest debtor nation in the world now, and its debts are mounting. Its stock markets are at an all-time high and the central bank is continuing to raise interest rates. I expect problems in the financial markets sometime later this year, or in the next year.

What factors will trigger a correction, in your view?

There are many things. It is always a combination of factors that we don't expect. In 2007, Iceland went bankrupt and most people didn't know there was a country by that name and that it was running into a crisis. And then Ireland went broke. And then Bear Stearns went broke. Lehman Brothers, too, went broke. Problems spiral like that and then cause a crash across the financial markets.
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