India's Gold Demand, Q3 2026: Indians bought 29% less gold and spent 3% more
Indians bought 162.5 t of gold in Jul–Sep 2026, down 29%, but spent 3% more (₹2.42 lakh crore) as the domestic price rose 45%.
CapitalVia Research Desk ·
Data story · 11 Nov 2026
India's Unemployment Rate: 5.1% in July–September 2026. For under-30s in cities, it is 18.9%.
The headline rate just fell from 5.4% to 5.1%. But among 15–29-year-olds it is 15.3% — three times the national figure — and young urban women face 26.1%, roughly one in four.
5.1%
India's unemployment ratePersons aged 15+, current weekly status, July–September 2026. Previous quarter: 5.4%. A year ago: 5.2%.
One country, six unemployment rates
Unemployment rate (%), current weekly status, July–September 2026. Bars are to scale.
All India, age 15+
5.1%
Rural, age 15+
4.3%
Urban, age 15+
6.8%
All India, age 15–29Youth · 3× the headline rate
15.3%
Urban, age 15–29Highest in the series so far
18.9%
Urban women, age 15–29Outlier
26.1%
Bar lengths are scaled to the largest value (26.1% = full width). Source: NSO/MoSPI, PLFS Quarterly Bulletin July–September 2026, Statement 5.
Five quarters: the headline barely moves, urban youth creeps up
Unemployment rate (%), current weekly status, by quarter
All India, age 15+Urban, age 15–29
5.2
18.4
4.8
18.0
5.0
18.1
5.4
18.2
5.1
18.9
Jul–Sep2025Oct–Dec2025Jan–Mar2026Apr–Jun2026Jul–Sep2026
Column heights are scaled to 18.9% = full height. Source: PLFS Quarterly Bulletin July–September 2026, Statement 5.
57.9 cr
people employed in India, age 15+, Jul–Sep 2026 — the bulletin's first-ever absolute estimate*
17.4 cr
of them are women — 30% of all workers; 40.5 cr are men*
49.6%
of urban workers hold a regular wage or salaried job; 39.7% are self-employed, 10.7% casual
56.7%
of rural workers were in agriculture — up 3.8 pts in the kharif quarter, but below 57.7% a year ago
What it means
Salaried employees
Fewer than one in two urban workers has a regular salaried job. If you have one, you are in the 49.6% — the stability is the asset.
Founders
18.9% of urban 15–29-year-olds who want work cannot find it. The talent pool is young, urban and available — hiring at the entry level is a buyer's market.
Business leaders
The fall in rural unemployment to 4.3% rode on seasonal farm work: agriculture's share of rural jobs jumped 3.8 points in the quarter. Watch Oct–Dec before calling it a trend.
Scroll
More from Insights
All storiesIndia's female workforce doubled to 201 million. Rural women's pay fell from 53% to 45% of men's.
97 million more women are working than in 2017-18, mostly as self-employed or unpaid helpers. The pay gap widened, most sharply in villages.
Medical costs will rise 10.1% in 2027. Salaries will rise 9.1%.
Aon puts India's 2027 medical cost growth at 10.1%, ahead of a 9.1% projected raise. The gap narrows from 2.5 points to 1.0 point.