Total assets under management (AUMs) in gold-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) hit record highs of $271 billion in 2024, according to the World Gold Council (WGC).
This represented a 26% year-on-year increase and was driven by a soaring bullion price.
The yellow metal hit new all-time highs on 40 occasions last year, the WGC noted. Over the whole year, gold appreciated 26% in value to around $2,629 per ounce.
Source – Forbes
Silver prices in India ended the week higher, closing at ₹1,01,522 per kg on Friday, March 28, 2025. The metal gained ₹209 (0.21%) on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) for May delivery, with a turnover of 22,870 lots.
Silver remains one of the top-performing assets of FY25, delivering a 35.56% return, surpassing gold (+31.37%), Nifty (+5.29%), and Sensex (+4.96%).
Max Layton, Global Head of Commodities at Citi, expects silver to trade between $34-$35 per ounce over the next 3-6 months.
Source – CNBC TV18
“Under the proposed law, the Texas Comptroller would issue gold and silver specie (coins) through the Texas Bullion Depository and also establish gold and silver transactional currency defined as ‘the representation of gold and silver specie and bullion held in the pooled depository account,’” wrote Mike Maharrey, Communications Director at the Tenth Amendment Center. “The Depository would be required to hold enough gold and silver to back 100 percent of the issued currency.”
If approved, the bills would enable “Holders of gold and silver specie and currency to use them as ‘legal tender in payment of debt,’ in the state of Texas,” he noted. “The gold and silver-backed currency would be electronically transferable to another person. Gold and silver-backed currency would be redeemable in specie or at the spot price of gold in U.S. dollars minus applicable fees.”
Source – KITCO News
Northeast Numismatics of Concord, Massachusetts, is the lone supplier of the special 2025-dated commemorative coin altered for this occasion. “We realized we were coming up on the 250th anniversary a few years ago and got the idea to do something special,” said Northeast owner Tom Caldwell.
The five-year (2021-25) First Amendment to the United States Constitution coin series concludes this month with the release of the final issue.
The $100 platinum proof coins are priced at $1,545, and mintage is limited to 9,000. To order, visit the U.S. Mint’s website.
Source – The Reading Room
They have been working flat out to do what the Bank describes as “digging out” gold bars for delivery to traders who’ve seized on a rare arbitrage opportunity thrown up by speculation that Donald Trump will impose tariffs on the precious metal, alongside a raft of other imported goods.
The Bank’s vault keepers are busier than they’ve been in years, logistics companies are working overtime, and refineries are booked out for months with orders to recast gold bars from London into a form that can be delivered into the US futures market.
“What’s happening in the London market is a short term logistical thing, but it’s having real consequences,” said John Reade, senior market strategist at the World Gold Council, the industry lobby group. “There’s not as much gold in London as normal, but again, there’s still lots there. And once it can get out from behind the Bank of England, then everything should calm down.”
Source – Bloomberg
“Codelco remains a good option to grab some extra spread over sovereign bonds.”
Copper futures are up about 15% this year in New York, although part of that is due to an up-tick in buying ahead of possible tariffs.
“Good governance and high copper prices should be good for bonds. Codelco is interesting.”
Source – Bloomberg
China’s gold reserves rose to 73.61 million fine troy ounces at the end of February from 73.45 million at the end of January, as the central bank kept buying the precious metal for a fourth straight month.
“The PBOC’s purchases are an important factor underpinning gold, so a continuation of its buying in February could help to build further strength behind the gold price,” said Frank Watson, market analyst at Kinesis Money.
“Unlike investors, central banks are relatively price insensitive to gold and tend to buy as part of a restructuring of their reserve holdings,” Watson said.
Source – Reuters
