Business
Dhanteras shopping: High price tags didn’t dim gold’s shine – Here’s what drew in consumers – The Times of India
High gold and silver prices had little effect on festive shopping this Dhanteras, with sales matching last year’s volumes and rising by more than 25% in value.Shoppers across the country flocked to stores to buy coins and lightweight jewellery, driven by hopes that prices will keep climbing.
Industry executives said gold and silver coins were the top choice for many buyers this year as people saw them as a smart investment and a way to avoid the higher making charges on jewellery. Ten-gram, 24-carat gold coins, priced at around Rs 1.40 lakh each, were especially popular, according to ET.Jewellery sales were led by lightweight pieces in 22- and 18-carat gold, while younger customers opted for more affordable 9- and 14-carat options.Surendra Mehta, national secretary of India Bullion & Jewellers Association said, “There was a good rush, with queues in Mumbai’s Zaveri Bazar to buy gold and silver coins. The trend from Saturday morning indicates trade will be able to achieve gold volumes of the previous Dhanteras.”Many shoppers had earlier postponed purchases, expecting prices to fall. But with no sign of a correction and indicators pointing to new highs, demand surged. “Now that there is no sign of a correction in prices and all economic indicators are pointing towards fresh highs, people have come out to purchase gold,” Colin Shah, managing director, Kama Jewelry, told ET.Jewellers also noticed growing interest from investors. “Despite record high gold prices, we are witnessing renewed enthusiasm this festive season. Consumers are viewing price volatility as a strategic opportunity to reinvest — whether through gold coins or by upgrading jewellery,” said Ajoy Chawla, CEO of Tanishq.Last year, India sold 39 tonnes of gold on Dhanteras. This year, the Muhurat spans two days, 18 and 19 October. Gold and silver were sold at Friday’s closing prices of Rs 1,34,800 per 10 gm and Rs 1,74,306 per kg, respectively, plus 3% GST, ET reported.Prices have risen sharply over the past year, with gold up 65% and silver up 81% since the last Dhanteras. Retailers in many areas even ran short of coins as demand exceeded expectations. “The trend shows that we will surpass last year Dhanteras sales both by volume and value,” said Baby George, CEO of Joyalukkas.Southern India, which accounts for over 40% of the country’s annual gold consumption of 800–850 tonnes, remained the largest market. But strong coin demand was seen across the country, showing how consumers are adapting their buying patterns in response to price trends.
Netflix has significantly increased its all-cash offer to acquire Warner Bros Discovery’s studio and streaming business, intensifying an ongoing takeover battle with rival Paramount Skydance.
The revised bid aims to secure Warner Bros’ extensive film and television library, alongside its premium HBO Max streaming service, in a move that could reshape the entertainment landscape.
In December, Netflix agreed to pay $23.25 in cash, $4.50 (£3.35) worth of Netflix stock per share to buy Warner Bros assets.
The deal valued the business at around $82.7bn (£61.5 bn). However, shares in Netflix have dropped by almost 15 per cent since the deal was first announced.
The US-based streaming giant has said it will now offer $27.75 (£20.64) per share in cash to buy the business, which will include Warner Bros’ extensive library of film and TV rights, as well as its HBO Max streaming service.
Analysts have said the new terms are favourable for investors in Warner Bros Discovery.
Despite the improved financial terms, Warner Bros Discovery continues to back Netflix over a competing bid from Paramount Skydance.
The rival studios and media giant had put forward an offer of $30 per share in cash, but crucially, this was for the entire Warner Bros Discovery company, rather than just its studio and streaming divisions, highlighting a key difference in the acquisition strategies.
David Zaslav, president and chief executive of Warner Bros Discovery, expressed his enthusiasm for the impending merger.
He stated: “Today’s revised merger agreement brings us even closer to combining two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world and with it even more people enjoying the entertainment they love to watch the most. By coming together with Netflix, we will combine the stories Warner Bros has told that have captured the world’s attention for more than a century and ensure audiences continue to enjoy them for generations to come.”
Greg Peters, Netflix’s co-chief executive, underscored the strategic and financial benefits of the amended agreement.
He commented: “By amending our agreement today, we are underscoring what we have believed all along: not only does our transaction provide superior stockholder value, it is also fundamentally pro-consumer, pro-innovation, pro-creator and pro-growth. Our revised all-cash agreement demonstrates our commitment to the transaction with Warner Bros and provides WBD stockholders with an accelerated process and the financial certainty of cash consideration, while maintaining our commitment to a healthy balance sheet and our solid investment grade ratings.”
The agreed deal is contingent on Warner Bros Discovery completing a proposed spin-off of its cable channels, which include CNN, TBS, and TNT Sports in the UK.
Kevin PeacheyCost of living correspondent
Getty ImagesUK toy sales have risen for the first time in five years, but sellers are braced for the potential impact of any social media ban for under-16s.
The value of toy sales rose by 6% last year, compared with the previous year, according to research company Circana, bringing some much-needed cheer for a sector that has struggled since the pandemic.
The rebound has been driven by the so-called kidult market – which relates to players over the age of 12, some of whom are influenced by trends on social media.
But experts gathered at the annual Toy Fair in London on Tuesday said that films, video games and playground chat could still help push further growth in 2026.
Cost of living pressures have loomed over families in recent years, although spending on children – particularly at Christmas – has remained a priority for many.
Covid lockdowns brought a boost to the sector when toys and games became central to keeping children and adults entertained at home.
Sales dipped since then, until last year when the number of toys sold rose by 1% compared with 2024, according to Circana.
With kidults spending more, the value of sales rose by 6% – the first increase since 2020, according to Circana. It valued the UK market at £3.9bn last year.
Melissa Symonds, executive director of UK toys at Circana, described last year as a “clear turning point” for the sector.
Cinema, streaming, video game and sport tie-ins – such as Minecraft and Formula 1 – all proved successful.
Symonds said that excluding the unusual circumstances of the pandemic, last year recorded the first organic growth since 2016.
Social media trends
Kidults accounted for 17% of the toy market in 2016, but this had risen to 30% by last year.
Building sets, predominantly Lego, has appealed to adults, but trends amplified on social media have also led to a 12% growth in collectibles across generations. Pokémon, K-Pop Demon Hunters, and Hello Kitty have all proved to be “market-moving trends”, according to Circana.
Symonds said the industry would be considering the impact of the social media ban for under-16s in Australia, and the potential for a similar ban in the UK.
She said manufacturers and retailers may need to reconsider how some of these toys were marketed if bans were brought in more widely.
Kerri Atherton, from the British Toy and Hobby Association – which is hosting its annual trade fair at London’s Olympia, said it was still too early to know what the fallout would be.
She described 2025 as a pivotal moment for the UK toy sector, but said businesses and consumers still faced financial challenges going into 2026.
The governor of the Bank of England has said the central bank has “to be very alert” to the potential impact from heightened geopolitical tensions as President Donald Trump seeks to seize control of Greenland.
Andrew Bailey told MPs at Parliament’s Treasury Committee that the tensions would have consequences for global financial stability.
However, he highlighted that the Bank believes global financial markets have been “more muted” in response to Mr Trump’s plans and his threats to hit opposing countries with tariffs.
Earlier this week, the President said the UK and other countries pushing back would face 10% tariffs on all products from next month, with this to increase to 25% from June 1, until a deal is reached for Washington to purchase Greenland.
On Tuesday, Mr Bailey said: “The level of geopolitical uncertainty and geopolitical issues is a big consideration because they can have financial stability consequences.
“Let me put that in a bit of context in two respects. One, having said that, growth in the world economy was a lot more stable than we thought it would be.
“The second point is about financial markets and is a fairly similar point, that we worry considerably about how markets react to those things.
“Market reactions have actually been more muted than we would have feared and expected.
“Overriding those points, I take neither of those as a point of assurance. We have to be very alert to these things.”
Financial markets have been weaker so far this week as investors and traders digest Mr Trump’s tariff threats, which would cause further trade disruption.
The FTSE 100 Index dropped by around 120 points soon after opening on Tuesday, falling by 1.2% to 10,075 points.
This followed a 0.4% fall on Monday while Germany’s Dax and France’s Cac 40 also slid in value.
Why did the Bills fire coach Sean McDermott, and what’s next?
Netflix agrees revised all-cash deal for Warner Bros studios
Pitti Bimbo 102 and Pitti Filati 98 prepare to kick off in Florence
-
Tech1 week agoNew Proposed Legislation Would Let Self-Driving Cars Operate in New York State
-
Entertainment7 days agoX (formerly Twitter) recovers after brief global outage affects thousands
-
Sports5 days agoPak-Australia T20 series tickets sale to begin tomorrow – SUCH TV
-
Fashion3 days agoBangladesh, Nepal agree to fast-track proposed PTA
-
Business4 days agoTrump’s proposed ban on buying single-family homes introduces uncertainty for family offices
-
Politics3 days agoSaudi King Salman leaves hospital after medical tests
-
Tech5 days agoMeta’s Layoffs Leave Supernatural Fitness Users in Mourning
-
Tech6 days agoTwo Thinking Machines Lab Cofounders Are Leaving to Rejoin OpenAI