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In January 2009, the world was in the grip of the Global Financial Crisis. Markets were in turmoil, economies were falling into recession, policymakers were panicking.

Gold demand in 2018 reached 4,345.1t, up from 4,159.9t in 2017. This was exactly in line with five-year average demand of 4,347.5t.

As we look ahead, we expect that the interplay between market risk and economic growth in 2019 will drive gold demand. And we explore key trends that will influence its price performance.

Gold demand was 964.3t in Q3, just 6.2t higher y-o-y. Robust central bank buying and a 13% rise in consumer demand offset large ETF outflows.

Gold demand was 964.3t in Q3, just 6.2t higher y-o-y. Robust central bank buying and a 13% rise in consumer demand offset large ETF outflows. Alistair Hewitt explains the findings of our latest Gold Demand Trends report.

Gold demand stayed soft in Q2, dropping to 964.3t. The H1 total of 1,959.9t is the lowest since 2009.

Over the past decade, the technology sector has accounted for more than 380 tonnes of gold demand annually, a significant figure in itself and almost 13% ahead of central bank net purchases during the same period. This edition of Gold Investor focuses on technology, analysing gold’s current use and future potential across a range of applications.

Over the long run, economic growth is a key driver of gold demand, especially in emerging market countries where there is high affinity for gold as jewellery and investment. At the same time, gold tends to perform well in period of crisis.

Gold demand of 973.5t was the lowest Q1 since 2008. The main cause was a fall in investment demand for gold bars and gold-backed ETFs, partly due to range-bound gold prices. 

The strong gold price performance was a positive for investors and producers, and was symptomatic of a more profound shift in sentiment: a growing recognition of gold’s role as a wealth preservation and risk mitigation tool. This goes to the heart of our strategy to make gold a mainstream asset.