The World Gold Council and the London Metal Exchange (LME), together with Goldman Sachs, ICBC Standard Bank, Morgan Stanley, Natixis, OSTC and Societe Generale, today announce their intention to introduce a suite of exchange-traded and centrally-cleared precious metals products.
Sibanye Gold and OceanaGold Corporation have joined the World Gold Council, the market development organisation for the gold industry. Sibanye is the largest individual producer of gold in South Africa and one of the 10 largest globally. OceanaGold is a rapidly growing multinational gold producer with assets located in the Philippines, New Zealand and the United States.
Global gold demand reached 1,290 tonnes (t) in the first quarter of 2016, a 21% increase compared to the same period last year, making it the second largest quarter on record, according to the World Gold Council’s Gold Demand Trends report. This increase was driven by huge inflows into exchange traded funds (ETFs), fuelled by investor concerns regarding economic fragility and an uncertain financial landscape. Concurrently, global demand for jewellery was down 19%, as higher prices and industrial action in India and a softening of the economy in China meant many consumers delayed making purchases.
At the 2016 Dubai Precious Metals Conference, the World Gold Council hosted a successful seminar to update industry participants on the latest developments in the creation of a global Shari’a Standard on Gold (“the Standard”). The event kicked off the schedule and showcased gold product ideas that will be enabled by the Standard.
Global gold demand in 2015 was virtually flat compared to 2014 at 4,212 tonnes (t), according to the World Gold Council’s latest Gold Demand Trends report. Despite a challenging start to the year, gold demand rebounded in the second half of 2015 as a result of sustained buying from central banks and a strong second half from China and India.
The subcommittee has held its first meeting to discuss the detailed study and exposure draft of the Shari’ah Standard on Saturday 9 January 2016, and it plans to hold a series of meetings in upcoming months to complete its review of the exposure draft and then to submit it to the Shari’ah Board.
