A 12% y/y drop in Q4 gold jewellery consumption to 547t- took the annual total down to 1,877t, down 11%, as unrelenting gold price strength impacted consumers’ ability to buy, the World Gold Council (WGC) said in a report on Wednesday.
For 2025, the WGC said central banks and “ETF investors likely to drive demand with economic uncertainty supporting gold’s role as a risk hedge, but on the flipside, keeping pressure on jewellery.”
Source – Seeking Alpha
Silver has enjoyed a “stealth bull market”, according to Adrian Ash, director of research at metals marketplace BullionVault, as supply of the metal has lagged demand for seven years running.
Silver’s highs have come “under the radar for two reasons,” said Ash. “First, that silver has set fresh records outside the US dollar, leaving headline writers to miss its new highs in terms of other currencies including the pound.
“Second, and rather than shooting the lights out like gold has over the past 12 months, the price of silver has risen to new annual and month-average records without hitting fresh daily highs.”
Source – Proactive Investors
Saigon Jewelry Company bar went up 1.09% to VND92.3 million (US$3,619.61) per tael. A tael equals 37.5 grams or 1.2 ounces.
Gold ring also reached a new peak at VND91.5 million per tael.
Source – eVnExpress
It appears that the Federal Reserve is on hold when it comes to moving interest rates until midyear, said Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals. But “most of the other major central banks remain in easing mode, providing an additional tailwind for gold.” Ongoing trade and geopolitical uncertainty suggest upside potential to the psychologically important $3,000 level, he said.
Source – Market Watch
The United States Mint plans to open sales at noon Eastern Time April 22 for its 10-coin 2025 Silver Proof Set, priced at $150 per set.
The coins, all struck at the San Francisco Mint, are secured within two plastic lenses.
Source – Coin World
Trump announced 25% tariffs on all vehicles and foreign-made auto parts imported into the United States late on Wednesday, prompting heavy losses in Japanese and South Korean stocks in Asian trading overnight.
General Motors slumped 6%, while shares in Ford fell almost 5%, reflecting concerns about the impact on their supply chains.
“Uncertainty on the tariff front remains high, which is really tough for both businesses but also investors to plan into the future, and of course it’s making it really difficult for investors to price risk,” said Baylee Wakefield, a multi-asset portfolio manager at Aviva Investors.
Gold prices rose, up 0.7% on the day at $3,040 an ounce. Goldman Sachs raised its gold price forecast on Wednesday, citing stronger-than-expected ETF inflows and sustained central bank demand.
Source – Reuters
Gold prices edged lower on Thursday, weighed down by easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and continued uncertainty over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate trajectory.
Spot gold fell 0.5% to $3,316.47 per ounce, as of 0933 a.m. EDT (1333 GMT). U.S. gold futures slipped 0.4% to $3,329.20.
Palladium lost 2.5% to $1,084.41. Platinum climbed to its highest level since September 2014, adding 1.7% to $1,377.62.
Spot silver was up 0.2% to $36.39.
Source – Reuters
