Gold demand, in tonnage terms, rebounded strongly in Q3 after several quarters of weakness. Identifiable demand totalled 1,133.4 tonnes, up 170.1 tonnes (18%) on the levels of a year earlier. In US$ value terms, this represented a 51% rise to $31.8 billion, an all-time record high and a 45% leap from the previous record set in Q2. The recovery in demand was triggered by a fall in the gold price, which coincided with sharply escalated levels of economic and financial uncertainty.
After briefly testing levels above US$950/oz early in the quarter, the gold price fell back, briefly touching levels under $750/oz in mid-September. Nevertheless, the average for the quarter, at $872/oz, was 28% higher than Q3 2007’s $680/oz.The biggest contributor to the increase in total identifiable demand in Q3 was identifiable investment, up 137.5 tonnes (56%) relative to year-earlier levels. Jewellery demand rose 45.5 tonnes or 8%, while industrial and dental demand declined 11%.
It will be interesting to see what happened in Q4. My guess? Demand for jewelry is down a ton, but demand from bar hoarding and ETFs is up dramatically.
Source: World Gold Council
Hey Jake -
ReplyDeleteSomething you may not know - in much of the non-western world, jewelry isn't just something that you buy the wife on Valentine's day - because of government regulation, it also substitutes for bar hoarding. This is especially true in India (where the preferred "jewelry" is a large gold rope of a necklace) and China (to a lesser degree).
So it might be that jewelry will tank next quarter - or not, as panicked Indians buy large quantities of gold jewelry out of fear.
i didn't. thanks jim
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