China’s net gold imports via Hong Kong in July rose by about 17% from the previous month, the first increase since March, data showed on Tuesday.
China imported a net 25.659 metric tons in July, up from 21.919 tons in June, the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department data showed.
Total gold imports via Hong Kong were up over 6% at 31.457 metric tons.
Why it’s important?
China is the leading consumer of bullion, and its purchasing patterns can affect global prices.
China’s central bank paused gold purchases in May, with July marking the third consecutive month it did not buy for its reserves. However, several Chinese banks have been given new gold import quotas from the central bank, anticipating revived demand despite record high prices, four sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters earlier this month.
The quotas help the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) control how much bullion enters the country.
Key quote
“With respect to China, it’s all still about weakness in demand for jewellery on the mainland because of uncertainty over discretionary spending, but at the retail investment level, interest in coins and bars is relatively resilient,” said StoneX analyst Rhona O’Connell.
“I think the uptick in imports is just a knee-jerk reaction by some positioned players in the Chinese banking sector, who continue to buy some metal internationally,” said independent analyst Ross Norman.
Context
The Hong Kong data may not provide a complete picture of Chinese purchases, as gold is also imported via Shanghai and Beijing.
Industry officials anticipate that gold demand in China will increase in the coming months as consumers adapt to higher prices. Economic uncertainty and worries about currency weakness are expected to boost investment flows.
Spot gold has risen over 21% so far this year, scaling an all-time high of $2,531.60 per ounce last week.
(By Ashitha Shivaprasad and Sherin Elizabeth Varghese; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Barbara Lewis)
