Research library

Weak Q4 set the seal on an 11-year low for annual 2020 gold demand

2020 has been a memorable year for China’s economy and its gold market.

The COVID-19 pandemic raised uncertainty by both compounding existing risks while creating new ones. But by the end of last year, investors were optimistic that the worst was over. 

‘Gold and Climate Change: The Energy Transition’ looks at gold mining’s energy transition and climate impacts over the next decade. This should provide investors and industry stakeholders with greater clarity around gold’s greenhouse gas emissions profile, the opportunities for the gold sector to decarbonise, and its potential pathway to net-zero, in line with Paris Agreement targets.

Our analysis illustrates that adding between 3% and 11% in gold to an average European investor’s portfolio over the past decade would have resulted in higher risk-adjusted returns.

Gold-backed exchange-traded funds and similar products (gold ETFs) have flourished since their introduction in 2003, attracting both institutional and retail investors across the globe. Recently, gold has become globally accepted as a strategic asset amidst a high-risk and low-rate environment spurring investment demand and the expansion of the gold-ETF market.

Gold benefits from diverse sources of demand: as an investment, a reserve asset, a luxury good and a technology component. It is highly liquid, no one’s liability, carries no credit risk, and is scarce, historically preserving its value over time.

Demand for gold loans, both through banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) has grown in response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.