Alistair Hewitt

“It just doesn’t get any bigger than this”. At least that is how President Trump is portraying the signing of the “Phase One” deal with China last week. But while talks between the two nations are undoubtedly positive for global trade, do they really make a substantive change in circumstances?

I have just come back from a short trip to India, presenting at the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council’s third India Gold and Jewellery Summit in Delhi, as well as sneaking in some field research and presenting the investment case for gold to some wealth managers in Mumbai with my colleague, Mukesh.

Watch today’s Gold Demand Trends webinar where we discussed the key shifts in gold demand during Q3 2019 as the price reached a six-year high.

It’s old news that the world economy is suffering. Ongoing trade tensions between the US China (and elsewhere too), the draining Brexit saga, as well as a myriad of other geopolitical uncertainties, have taken their toll. Global growth is slowing, and investors are downbeat on world economic prospects. Recession in many major economies is now a real possibility... As a result, central banks around the world have been busy cutting rates.

We will soon be launching two regular blog posts– monthly updates on India and China by Mukesh and Ray, our analysts in Mumbai and Shanghai. These monthly posts will provide a snapshot of the health of these two global heavyweights, which together account for around half of annual global consumer demand. 

In the age of sustainability, having a socially and environmentally responsible business model is no longer a luxury. Consumers and investors, increasingly conscious of the impact commercial activities can have, are exerting pressure on businesses to ensure their practices are as ethical and responsible as possible.

I have spent the past few days at the Singapore Bullion Market Association’s annual Asia Pacific Precious Metals Conference in Singapore. An excellent event with good attendance from across the region, including attendees from Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Australia, China and India.