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With prices for most of its popular products ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 yuan, Laopu now competes more directly with Western luxury brands such as Tiffany and Cartier.

As rising gold prices in 2024 pushed investors toward bullion and coins and gold jewellery sales in China fell 24.69% to 532.02 tonnes, Laopu twice raised prices on its designer jewellery and trinkets. It again upped prices by 5-12% last month.

But analysts say Laopu is a contender to fully break through the luxury glass ceiling.

“It’s not an imminent threat to global luxury groups because to build a luxury brand takes a long time. You need a story, you need a history, you need the craftsmanship, but it’s possible,” said Jonathan Yan, a principal at consultancy Roland Berger in Shanghai.

Source – Reuters

SA analyst World Gold Council stated: “While gold may face some consolidation due to the speed of its latest move, the combination of geopolitical and geoeconomic uncertainty, rising inflation, lower rates, and a weaker US dollar continue to provide powerful tailwinds to investment demand,”

“I recommend buying assets that track the price of gold… Inflation had been on an upward trend, but the lower-than-expected reading in February added more uncertainty to investors. Additionally, recession fears could lead the Fed to cut interest rates. All these uncertainties drive up gold prices,”

Source – Seeking Alpha

ANZ raised its zero to 3-month gold price forecast to $3,100 per ounce and 6-month forecast to $3,200 per ounce, according to a research note on Tuesday.

For gold “we maintain our bullish view, amid strong tailwinds from escalating geopolitical and trade tensions, easing monetary policy, and strong central bank buying,” the bank said.

Source – Reuters