Market primer

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.

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.

Recycled gold – old gold sold for cash – is a vital part of the market. Our recycled gold primer explains the factors that affect recycling and considers the differences between jewellery and industrial recycling.

Price discovery is crucial for any market, and the gold market is no exception. Our gold prices primer gives a comprehensive overview of the LBMA Gold price – an important global benchmark – and looks at the mechanisms determining the local gold price in China and India, the two largest consumer gold markets.

Formal, large-scale gold mining is complex and geographically diverse. Our gold mine production primer explains the life-cycle of a gold mine and the ways in which responsible gold mining can have a significant positive economic impact.

Since their introduction in 2003, gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have transformed the gold investment market. Read our Gold-backed ETF primer for an overview of the history, features and benefits of gold-backed ETFs.