Research library

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.

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.

Strong growth in global investment demand for gold in Q3 partly offset weakness elsewhere as COVID-19 remained in the driving seat.

This report looks at how World Gold Council Members are bringing about positive change across four thematic areas: global partnerships; social inclusion; economic development and responsible energy use and environmental stewardship.

In this paper, we seek to answer those questions by assessing how gold lease rates have been affected in the past through changes in the demand to borrow gold and the supply of gold available for lending.

Gold has been on a generally positive trend for the past few years. However, the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic has made gold’s relevance as a hedge even more apparent and accelerated its price performance. Gold increased by 17% during the first half of 2020, moving up by an additional 10% in July.  

Record H1 inflows into gold-backed ETFs offset weakness in all other sectors of the market, with demand hit by the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.