MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's gold retail investment demand fell 67 percent on year to 26 tonnes in the third quarter to September as high prices and poor monsoon dented consumer sentiment, the World Gold Council said on Thursday. Jewellery demand fell 42 percent to 111.6 tonnes, while total demand, which comprises jewellery and retail investment demand, fell 49 percent to 137.6 tonnes. "The outlook for investment is positive overall with absolute levels of demand likely to remain well supported by continued economic and currency uncertainty, inflation concerns and the search for diversification," said Aram Shishmanian, CEO of World Gold Council, in a statement. Domestic gold prices rose by about 9 percent in the third quarter. India's annual June-September monsoon rains, vital for farm and overall economic growth in Asia's third-biggest economy, were 23 percent below average in 2009, the worst since 1972, government data showed.

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