Dhanteras 2026: CAIT expects ₹1 lakh crore in gold & silver sales, AIJGF projects 10% YoY increase
Retail patterns reveal a strategic shift in buyer behaviour. Rather than scaling back festive purchases entirely due to higher per-gram prices, consumers are actively recalibrating their buying choices toward value-optimised items.
- Nov 6, 2026,
- Updated Nov 6, 2026 10:17 AM IST
Dhanteras 2026: High inflation and soaring precious metal prices have failed to dampen the festive spirit, with Dhanteras trade on track to shatter records and cross the milestone of ₹1 lakh crore nationwide.
Driven by deep-rooted cultural traditions, millions of shoppers have thronged markets nationwide to purchase bullion, utensils, home decor, and festive items, positioning the festival to deliver one of the highest single-day retail turnarounds in recent history.
Industry bodies said that despite consumers adjusting their basket choices to manage elevated gold and silver rates, overall spending enthusiasm remains entirely unabated.
Trading projections from leading trade bodies paint a picture of extraordinary consumer liquidity during this year's festive rush. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) estimates that total festive business generated across all retail categories nationwide will comfortably cross the milestone of ₹1 lakh crore on Dhanteras.
Within this massive retail footprint, the precious metals sector continues to serve as the dominant financial catalyst. The All India Jewellers and Goldsmith Federation (AIJGF) projects that gold and silver trading alone will account for ₹66,000 crore in business today registering a 10% YoY rise.
Retail patterns reveal a strategic shift in buyer behaviour. Rather than scaling back festive purchases entirely due to higher per-gram prices, consumers are actively recalibrating their buying choices toward value-optimised items:
- Lightweight gold jewellery: High-karat heavy pieces have given way to functional, daily-wear 14-carat and 18-carat gold jewellery. This shift allows buyers to retain the auspicious practice of buying gold without overextending their festive budgets.
- Silver coins and tokens: Demand for silver has witnessed a massive spike, driven by families opting for pure silver coins, bars, and traditional utensils as long-term wealth assets and festive gifts.
- Auspicious figurines & articles: Decorative articles featuring traditional luck and wealth motifs — specifically sacred figurines of fish, tortoises, and elephants — are seeing unprecedented demand across tier-1, tier-2, and tier-3 markets alike.
Gold and silver buying time
The practice of buying gold, silver, utensils, and metallic assets on Dhanteras is deeply rooted in the belief that acquiring precious items during auspicious astrological alignments invites lasting prosperity, health, and good fortune into the household. To maximize these blessings, shoppers align their store visits with strict Panchang schedules.
According to calculations from the New Delhi Panchang, the primary auspicious time slots for purchasing precious metals during this Dhanteras cycle are structured as follows:
- Primary buying muhurat: The main gold-buying window opens at 10:30 AM on November 6 and runs continuously through the night until 6:37 AM on November 7.
- Secondary window: For shoppers making purchases on the following morning, a highly favourable Choghadiya shopping window opens on November 7 from 7:59 AM to 9:21 AM within the remaining Trayodashi Tithi.
Retailers across major metro cities and regional hubs have arranged extended operating hours to accommodate the continuous flow of shoppers throughout these designated periods. Buyers are advised to note that these shopping muhurats are distinct from the evening Lakshmi-Kubera puja timings, and exact auspicious windows may vary slightly based on local sunrise and planetary alignments in specific geographic regions.
Dhanteras 2026: High inflation and soaring precious metal prices have failed to dampen the festive spirit, with Dhanteras trade on track to shatter records and cross the milestone of ₹1 lakh crore nationwide.
Driven by deep-rooted cultural traditions, millions of shoppers have thronged markets nationwide to purchase bullion, utensils, home decor, and festive items, positioning the festival to deliver one of the highest single-day retail turnarounds in recent history.
Industry bodies said that despite consumers adjusting their basket choices to manage elevated gold and silver rates, overall spending enthusiasm remains entirely unabated.
Trading projections from leading trade bodies paint a picture of extraordinary consumer liquidity during this year's festive rush. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) estimates that total festive business generated across all retail categories nationwide will comfortably cross the milestone of ₹1 lakh crore on Dhanteras.
Within this massive retail footprint, the precious metals sector continues to serve as the dominant financial catalyst. The All India Jewellers and Goldsmith Federation (AIJGF) projects that gold and silver trading alone will account for ₹66,000 crore in business today registering a 10% YoY rise.
Retail patterns reveal a strategic shift in buyer behaviour. Rather than scaling back festive purchases entirely due to higher per-gram prices, consumers are actively recalibrating their buying choices toward value-optimised items:
- Lightweight gold jewellery: High-karat heavy pieces have given way to functional, daily-wear 14-carat and 18-carat gold jewellery. This shift allows buyers to retain the auspicious practice of buying gold without overextending their festive budgets.
- Silver coins and tokens: Demand for silver has witnessed a massive spike, driven by families opting for pure silver coins, bars, and traditional utensils as long-term wealth assets and festive gifts.
- Auspicious figurines & articles: Decorative articles featuring traditional luck and wealth motifs — specifically sacred figurines of fish, tortoises, and elephants — are seeing unprecedented demand across tier-1, tier-2, and tier-3 markets alike.
Gold and silver buying time
The practice of buying gold, silver, utensils, and metallic assets on Dhanteras is deeply rooted in the belief that acquiring precious items during auspicious astrological alignments invites lasting prosperity, health, and good fortune into the household. To maximize these blessings, shoppers align their store visits with strict Panchang schedules.
According to calculations from the New Delhi Panchang, the primary auspicious time slots for purchasing precious metals during this Dhanteras cycle are structured as follows:
- Primary buying muhurat: The main gold-buying window opens at 10:30 AM on November 6 and runs continuously through the night until 6:37 AM on November 7.
- Secondary window: For shoppers making purchases on the following morning, a highly favourable Choghadiya shopping window opens on November 7 from 7:59 AM to 9:21 AM within the remaining Trayodashi Tithi.
Retailers across major metro cities and regional hubs have arranged extended operating hours to accommodate the continuous flow of shoppers throughout these designated periods. Buyers are advised to note that these shopping muhurats are distinct from the evening Lakshmi-Kubera puja timings, and exact auspicious windows may vary slightly based on local sunrise and planetary alignments in specific geographic regions.