dec 10 reuters  top asian hubs saw healthy demand for physical gold this week as domestic prices retreated into the yearend although volatility in rates deterred retail buyers and jewellers in india markets in china japan and singapore took cues from a dip in global benchmark spot gold prices  in singapore premiums rose to 140180 an ounce over spot rates  around 1779 an ounce on friday  from last weeks 130160 brian lan managing director at dealer goldsilver central said retail consumers were purchasing gold but most of the buying was from wholesalers and businesses that used current prices to stock up retail buying could increase into the yearend as people get their salary bonuses he added customers in top consumer china were charged premiums of 710 an ounce versus last weeks 69 dick poon general manager at heraeus metals hong kong ltd said premiums could be moving higher in part because of a reduced inflow of scrap as refiners prepare for annual stock counts in japan gold was sold between on par with the benchmark to 050 premiums a tokyobased dealer said some retail investors could buy gold to hedge against concerns over the omicron coronavirus variant the indian market flipped to a discount of about 2 an ounce over official domestic prices  inclusive of 1075 import and 3 sales levies  from last weeks 2 premiums retail demand has fallen substantially in the last few days prompting jewellers to reduce bullion purchases said harshad ajmera proprietor of kolkatabased wholesaler jj gold house on friday local gold futures traded around 47880 rupees per 10 grams having hit a twomonth low of 46388 rupees last week the volatility has prompted jewellers to delay purchases for the upcoming wedding season a mumbaibased bullion dealer with a private bank said reporting by rajendra jadhav in mumbai and asha sistla in bengaluru editing by arpan varghese and barbara lewis