Gold recovers by Rs 250; govt cuts tariff value again

Taking into account weak global trends in the past few days, the government slashed the tariff  value of gold to USD 449 per ten gram even as prices rebounded on Thursday by Rs 250 on renewed buying at existing low levels. After crashing by Rs 3,250 in the last four days, gold prices recovered to Rs 26,600 in Delhi market on fresh buying by stockists and retailers.

Price of the precious metal rose by Rs 290 to Rs 25,920 in Mumbai and by Rs 150 to Rs 26,085 in Chennai. However, gold fell by Rs 10 to Rs 26,700 in Kolkata. Government earlier today slashed the tariff value of gold to USD 449 per ten grams from USD 499 per ten grams. It was only two days back that the tariff value, the base price on which the customs duty is determined to prevent under invoicing, was brought down to USD 499 per ten grams. Meanwhile, jewellers like Gitanjali and P C Jewellers said people are buying more and sales have surged by up to 3 times as investors are trying to take advantage of 24 percent fall in price from its Rs 32,975 peak in  November 2012. "Sales are strong. In the last one week, sales in volume terms have risen by 35 per cent and value terms by 25 percent. We expect prices to stablise at Rs 26000-27000 per ten grams," Gitanjali Group CMD Mehul Choksi told PTI. Expressing same views, PC Jewellers MD Balram Garg said: "Prices have increased slightly today but people are buying as they feel prices would again rise." "Our sales have jumped by 3-4 times than the normal sales around this time. Cumulative sales from our 32 showrooms has increased to Rs 25-30 crore per day as against Rs 8-10 crore prior to the fall in prices," he said. Gold in overseas markets, which normally set price trend on the domestic front, rose 0.4 per cent to USD 1,381.55 an ounce in Singapore. Prices touched USD 1,321.95 on April 16, lowest since January 2011.