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China's central banks extends its gold purchase for the ninth consecutive month in July

Official data released on Thursday showed that China's central banks added gold to their reserves in July, marking the ninth consecutive month they have done so.

China's gold reserves increased to 73.96 millions fine troy pounds at the end July, up from 73.90million ounces by the end June. Data from the People's Bank of China showed that the country's gold reserve was valued at $243.99billion at the end of July, up from $242.93billion at the end of the previous month.

Zain Vawda is an analyst at MarketPulse, by OANDA. He said that the continued purchases of gold by one of world's biggest central banks indicate underlying strong demand for it.

Vawda said that the decision was a strategic one, and a long-term one.

After a six-month pause that dampened Chinese investors' demand, the PBOC resumed its gold purchases in 2024.

Gold, which is traditionally viewed as a safe-haven asset in times of uncertainty has reached record highs this year due to concerns about tariffs, geopolitical tensions and central bank purchases.

In a poll conducted in July, it was revealed that investors are increasingly turning to gold as a safe asset due to concerns over the global economy and fiscal debt. This has led analysts and traders to raise their estimates. The median forecast for gold per troy-ounce was $3,220 in the poll of 40 traders and analysts. This is up from $3.065 in an earlier poll.

As of 0857 GMT, spot gold was trading for $3,380 per ounce.

The World Gold Council has downgraded their estimate of gold purchases this year by central banks. However, they have added that the long-term trend for central banks to reallocate assets from the U.S. to gold is still intact. Reporting by Xiuhao chen and Lewis Jackson in Beijing; Ashitha Shivaprasad, Bengaluru. Editing by Louise Heavens & Eileen Soreng.

(source: Reuters)