Swiss gold exports to China and India hit multi-year highs

Swiss gold exports rose final 12 months to their highest since 2018 as demand for bullion in China and India, the largest client markets, recovered from a collapse early within the COVID-19 pandemic, Swiss customs knowledge confirmed.

The coronavirus disaster upended the bullion market in 2020, hammering jewelry gross sales whereas triggering a rush amongst traders to stockpile gold, which is historically seen as a protected place to retailer wealth. Switzerland is the world’s largest gold refining centre and transit hub. Its commerce knowledge confirmed a 2020 plunge in exports to Asia, the place most gold is offered as jewelry, and large shipments to the U.S. and Britain, the place traders cluster. In 2021, exports to India surged to 507 tonnes, up from 148 tonnes in 2020 and probably the most since 2015.

Shipments to mainland China reached 275 tonnes, up from 30.5 tonnes in 2020 and the very best since 2018.

Exports to Hong Kong rose to 79 tonnes, up from 27 tonnes in 2020 and the very best since 2018. The info suggests a weaker demand restoration in China than in India. Between 2012, when Swiss figures grew to become out there, and 2019, Switzerland exported 400 tonnes of gold a 12 months on common to India and about 600 tonnes a 12 months to mainland China and Hong Kong mixed.

Swiss shipments of gold to the U.S. fell to 113 tonnes in 2021 from 508 tonnes in 2020. Exports to Britain declined to 76 tonnes from 130 tonnes.