windowspinball|全球黄金需求飙升，一季度同比增长3%至1238吨
SourceWindowspinballWorld wide web
[global Financial Roundup] recently, the World Gold Council released the first quarter of 2024.WindowspinballAccording to the Global Gold demand Trends report, total global gold demand, including over-the-counter trading, rose 3 per cent year-on-year to 1238 tons in the first quarter, the strongest first-quarter demand performance since 2016. The report stressed that central banks around the world continued to actively buy gold in the face of market volatility and risks, with global official gold reserves rising by 290 tons this quarter, highlighting the importance of gold in the international reserve portfolio. In addition, robust investment demand in the over-the-counter market, continued gold purchases by global central banks and growing demand from Asian buyers pushed the average price of gold to an all-time high of $2070 an ounce in the first quarter, up 10 per cent year-on-year and 5 per cent month-on-month.
In terms of investment demand, global investment in gold bars and coins increased by 3% year-on-year to 312Windowspinball.3 tons, compared with 312 in the fourth quarter of 2023WindowspinballThe level of .9 tons is basically unchanged. Despite record highs, global demand for gold jewelry has remained resilient overall, with the rise in demand in Asia effectively offsetting the decline in demand in Europe and North America. In addition, driven by the artificial intelligence boom, global demand for technology gold rebounded by 10 per cent year-on-year to 79 tons.
The report also shows that the people's Bank of China will continue to increase its gold reserves in 2024. At the end of the first quarter, China's official gold reserves reached 2262 tons, an increase of 27 tons over the previous quarter. At present, gold accounts for 4.6% of China's total official foreign exchange reserves, reaching an all-time high.
Louis Street, senior market analyst at the World Gold Council (WGC), said: "there are many factors behind the recent surge in gold prices, first of all, increased geopolitical risks and persistent superimposed macroeconomic uncertainty have pushed up investors' safe-haven demand for gold. In addition, continued gold purchases by global central banks, strong over-the-counter investment and an increase in net purchases in the financial derivatives market have also contributed to the rise in gold prices. The behaviour of investors in the East and the West is changing. Generally speaking, investors in eastern markets are more sensitive to changes in gold prices and tend to buy bargains, while Western investors are attracted by the rising trend of gold prices and tend to chase higher. But that changed in the first quarter of this year, with investment demand in markets such as China and India rising sharply as gold prices soared. "
Wang Lixin, CEO of the World Gold Council in China, believes that looking forward to the next few quarters, China's domestic gold retail investment demand may still maintain a healthy level. In order to support the economy, expand domestic demand and boost confidence, a sound domestic monetary policy may further lower interest rates, and the attractiveness of gold is expected to increase in the context of falling local opportunity costs. Second, retail investor interest in gold is likely to continue to rise as the record-breaking pace of gold purchases by central banks around the world continues to attract attention.
