THEME: COMMODITIES / GOLD

Almost 80% of all gold in the market goes into jewelry. The biggest consumer is India, where gifts of gold are common in weddings. The average Indian wedding uses over 2 pounds of gold.

Indian demand dropped over 20% in 2002 as the world economy took a hit. But India's economy is rising again. Indian demand pushed overall third-quarter consumer demand 5%, according to GFMS Ltd.

Asia consumes half the world's gold, and that may grow. Asian economies are getting stronger. China is easing restrictions on trading gold. And the weak dollar makes gold less expensive in Asian currencies.