'Indian housewife is the smartest fund manager': Uday Kotak as gold nears ₹1 lakh

Gold’s surge in 2025 has reignited a familiar debate—instinct versus strategy in Indian investing.

Amid record-high prices, veteran banker Uday Kotak weighed in with a pointed remark on X: “The performance of gold over time highlights that the Indian housewife is the smartest fund manager in the world.” 

He added, “Governments, central banks, economists, who support pump priming, high deficit funding, may need to take a leaf from India, a net importer of store of value forever!”

His post set off a discussion on whether gold’s success should be credited to instinct, tradition, or informed decision-making. One response read: “Gold may have outperformed, but let’s not romanticize luck as strategy. The Indian housewife’s instinct deserves respect—but so does financial literacy.”

Gold’s rally has been steep. International futures are trading at $3,484.70 per ounce. In India, 24-carat gold is priced at ₹98,420 per 10 grams, and 22-carat at ₹90,150—nearing the ₹1 lakh mark. Prices are up over 26% in 2025.

Global drivers include trade tensions, US recession fears, rising central bank purchases (notably by China), and expected rate cuts by the US Fed. Goldman Sachs sees gold touching $3,700 per ounce by year-end, or even $4,500 in a high-risk scenario.

While investors have gained, retail buyers are under pressure, especially during the wedding and festival season. Across major Indian cities, 24K gold ranges between ₹96,260–₹96,700; 22K sits at ₹88,240–₹88,640 per 10 grams.

With Akshaya Tritiya (April 20–30) underway, even minor dips are being viewed as buying opportunities. But the broader trend, analysts say, remains firmly upward.