Featured Report
Gold Demand Trends Q1 2020
The global COVID-19 pandemic fuelled safe-haven investment demand for gold, offsetting marked weakness in consumer-focused sectors of the market.
Gold ETF assets realised their largest ever quarterly gain in Q1 2020
Global gold-backed ETFs (gold ETFs) and similar products added 298 tonnes(t), or net inflows of US$23bn, across all regions in the first quarter of 2020 – the highest quarterly amount ever in absolute US dollar terms and the largest tonnage additions since 2016. During the past year, gold ETFs added 659t, the highest on a rolling annual basis since the financial crisis, with assets under management (AUM) growing 57% over the same period.
Central Banks
Gold plays a prominent role in reserve asset management, being one of the few assets that is universally permitted by the investment guidelines of the world’s central banks. This is in part due to the gold market being deep and liquid – a key requirement of reserve asset managers.
China's gold market
This primer serves as an introduction to China’s gold market. It provides an overview of China’s jewellery and investment markets, key drivers of demand and the gold mining industry.
Global market volatility drove gold ETF assets to new all-time highs
Global gold-backed ETFs and similar products added 61 tonnes(t), or net inflows of US$3.1bn, in January across nearly all regions, boosting holdings to new, all-time highs of 2,947t.1 Combined with a gold price increase of nearly 5%, assets under management (AUM) grew 8% in US dollars during the month.
2019 Annual Review
Gold-backed ETF holdings made new all-time highs in January
Global gold-backed ETFs and similar products added 61 tonnes(t), or net inflows of US$3.1bn, in January across nearly all regions, boosting holdings to new, all-time highs of 2,947t.1 Combined with a gold price increase of nearly 5%, assets under management (AUM) grew 8% in US dollars during the month.
Gold Demand Trends Full year and Q4 2019
Gold demand fell 1% in 2019 as a huge rise in investment flows into ETFs and similar products was matched by the price-driven slump in consumer demand.
Gold-backed ETF holdings grew 14% in 2019, reaching all-time highs
Global gold-backed ETFs and similar products had US$19.2bn, or 400 tonnes(t), of net inflows in 2019 in almost all countries, after holdings rebounded in December. Collective ETF holdings reached all-time highs of ~2,900t in the fourth quarter. Overall, global gold-backed assets under management (AUM) grew 37% in US dollars during the year as a result of positive demand combined with an 18.4% increase in the gold price.
Gold-backed ETFs lost 1% of holdings in November following five months of strong inflows
In November, global gold-backed ETFs and similar products saw US$1.3bn of net outflows across North America, Europe and Asia, decreasing their collective gold holdings by 30.1 tonnes(t) after reaching record highs in October. Global gold-backed assets under management (AUM) have grown 35% this year as a result of increased investment demand and price appreciation.
