Dhanteras: What To Invest In On the Auspicious Occasion

The festival is marked by buying something made of metal as it is considered the harbinger of good luck

learn more about Agamoni Ghosh

By Agamoni Ghosh

pixabay.com

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

As Diwali week kicks in, it's once again time to loosen those purses, and make way for festive investments. To start off Diwali festivities, Hindu devotees worship Lord Dhanvantri for money and health and celebrate Dhanteras on triyodasi of the Krishna Paksha (13th lunar day of the Krishna Paksha of the month of Karthik).

The festival is marked by auspicious shopping, mainly gold and silver, to household items made of iron, copper or brass. The main emphasis is on buying something made of metal as it is considered the harbinger of good luck and believed to keep negative energy at bay.

Here are some recommendations this year, old and new, for you to invest on this Dhanteras.

Gold

India is the 2nd largest consumer of gold after China, and buyers here attach great emotional value to the yellow metal, other than its monetary value. Let us tell you the different forms of gold related investments you can make this Dhanteras.

  • Physical Gold : Most household incomes that invest in gold during this auspicious occasion do it in the form of physical gold. Although returns have dipped on the yellow metal over the years, it is still the one of the most liquid assets.

Physical gold can be bought in two forms – gold coins/bars from banks or in the form of jewelry. To ensure the quality of gold is good always opt for hallmarked products. You can also try 22K gold jewelry being sold by new-age online jewelers like Caratlane, Velevetcase and BlueStone. Be sure to read their purchase and return policy, however to get the best return while selling it off.

Caution - Do not invest in gold below 18K as they accrue very low returns and are difficult to sell off.

  • Sovereign Gold Bonds : These are quite tough to get a hold of, but if you can nothing like it. These are government securities denominated in grams of gold (1 gram and in multiples thereof) and come with tenure of 8 years. The government has fixed the purchase price these bonds at Rs 2,987 per gram, the subscription for which will open on October 16.
  • Gold ETFs : These are open-ended exchange traded fund (offered by mutual funds) which track the price of gold and each unit represents ownership of the gold asset. The returns work in tandem with the moving price of gold on bourses.
  • Gold saving funds : Offered by mutual funds, these are fund of fund schemes which invest their corpus into an underlying Gold ETF.
  • Digital Gold: This is the latest form of gold trading that can be explored during the festive season. MMTC-PAMP, which started this avenue teamed up with Paytm. Through Paytm Gold, one can invest as little as Rs 1 on 24K 999.9 pure gold and keep making recurring investments in lieu with the market price.

Silver

After the import tax for gold was hiked in 2015, silver imports grew to almost 8,000 tonnes, 14% up on the previous 2014. This made demand for gold jewellery, which accounts for 75% of all Indian gold demand, plummet 30% for the year ending September 2016, according to the World Gold Council. Commodity trackers have since predicted a possible shift back to silver as a more prominent investment in the country.

While gold has always been the preferred investment during Dhanteras, experts say, silver will glitter more this festive season. The demand for silver jewellery too has risen, with a growth of over 600% in the last ten years according to a research by Thomson Reuters, indicating that appetite for the metal is unlikely to die out anytime soon.

Commodities

As buying metals during Dhanteras is considered auspicious, make some big bets on bullish metal investing in commodity stocks. Be wary though, commodity trading is nothing like normal stock trades, so investors with better knowledge in futures and options can consider in this sector. Novices should take expert advice and only then venture into this domain of trading.

Agamoni Ghosh

Former Staff, Entrepreneur India

She was generating stories out of Bengaluru for Entrepreneur India. She has worked with leading national and international business publications, including Newsweek, Business Standard, and CNBC in the past. 

Related Topics

Thought Leaders

The Collapse of Credit Suisse: A Cautionary Tale of Resistance to Hybrid Work

This cautionary tale serves as a reminder for business leaders to adapt to the changing world of work and prioritize their workforce's needs and preferences.

Leadership

5 Winning Habits That Will Transform Your Leadership Skills

Ready to take your leadership skills to the next level? Discover the five winning habits that will transform you into an exceptional leader!

Business News

I'm a Former Google Recruiter. Here's How to Land a Job in Tech — and What Can Blow Your Interview

A former Google recruiter says layoffs may be trendy, but tech workers are always needed. Here's how to land a job at a major tech company.

Starting a Business

5 Ways Entrepreneurship Can Help Teenagers Overcome Negative Peer Pressure

Here are some of the positives teenage entrepreneurship can have concerning peer pressure.

News and Trends

Uravu Labs Raises $2.3 Million In Seed Funding

With the funding, the startup aims to take a significant step towards commercializing renewable water solutions, primarily directing the funds towards scaling up and forging new partnerships with leading players in the hospitality and beverage sector to expand their reach and impact

News and Trends

Five Nykaa Executives Step Down

"Voluntary and involuntary exits are expected in a fast-paced, growth-focused, consumer tech organisation with over 3,000 on-roll employees," said the company