“Worldwide gold demand in 2012 was another record high of $236.4 billion in the World Gold Council’s latest report. This was up 6% in value terms in the fourth quarter to $66.2 billion, the highest fourth quarter on record. Global gold demand in the fourth quarter of 2012 was up 4% to 1,195.9 tonnes.
Central bank buying for 2012 rose by 17% over 2011 to some 534.6 tonnes. As far as central bank gold buying, this was the highest level since 1964. Central bank purchases stood at 145 tonnes in the fourth quarter. That is up 9% from the fourth quarter of 2011, and the eighth consecutive quarter in which central banks were net purchasers of gold.
The World Gold Council said:
Central banks’ move from net sellers of gold, to net buyers that we have seen in recent years, has continued apace. The official sector purchases across the world are now at their highest level for almost half a century.
If you want to know why Silver Wheaton Corp. (NYSE: SLW) is changing its mix to gold and silver, now you know. Investors of the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT: GLD) and ETFS Physical Swiss Gold Shares (NYSEMKT: SGOL) will want to pay attention to lower gold demand. There were some interesting observations:
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