May 8, 2026 Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Government, said Hong Kong will build a global commodities and gold trading hub, with rising Asian demand, and reshaped global trade and supply chains providing the backdrop. Speaking at the London Metal Exchange (LME) Asia Metals Seminar 2026, Chan said that Hong Kong has exceptional institutional strengths and deep capabilities in financial and professional services. It maintains full alignment with international standards, the common law system, and independent dispute resolution mechanisms, and offers a full range of services, from trade finance and marine insurance to derivatives and risk management tools. Chan said that a strategic committee on commodities, chaired by him, is developing a long-term strategy covering physical trade, financial transactions, logistics, and connectivity with the mainland, adopting a whole-of-ecosystem approach. Chan noted that the HKSAR government and the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) are exploring the feasibility of establishing a special panel of mediators for commodities market disputes under the IOMed. This will provide a neutral, expert-led mediation mechanism for disputes arising across the commodities value chain, facilitating cross-border transactions, and strengthening market confidence among global market participants, Chan added. Bonnie Chan, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, said at the meeting that both Hong Kong’s capital market and the London Metal Exchange’s non-ferrous metals market have performed strongly. One important reason is the prevailing geopolitical uncertainty, which has prompted global investors to seek diversified asset allocation, thereby channeling funds into Asia and the Hong Kong market, a region with vast growth potential. Source: https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2026/05/08/hong-kong-aims-to-build-global-commodities-and-gold-hub-amid-rising-asian-demand/

Vietnam is moving toward establishing a national gold trading platform, transitioning from traditional gold shops to a centralized, digital, account-based system. The initiative aims to mobilize idle gold resources, improve market transparency, and reduce pressure on foreign exchange management. The Prime Minister has requested relevant ministries and agencies to urgently develop the exchange and target its operation before February 10, 2026; however, the project is still under review.

Thu, 02-Apr-2026 12:23 Gold investing sentiment never stronger outside financial or Covid crisis... GOLD's SHARPEST price drop in 13 years just saw a record number of investors buy the precious metal on BullionVault as the US and Israel went to war with Iran, writes Adrian Ash at the world-leading marketplace. Private investors have seized on gold's price drop because this sudden retreat has given buyers the chance to reset the clock back before January's historic price spike. After setting new all-time highs and rising for 9 months in a row − gold's longest-ever run of unbroken gains − the price of gold sank by 11.8% in March (-10.5% in UK Pounds, -9.7% in Euros) as the oil-price shock drove profit-taking by central banks, institutional investors and traders needing to cover losses in stocks and bonds. Jumping on the price drop, the number of investors choosing to buy gold on BullionVault − now used by 130,000 private investors worldwide and finding 9-in-10 of its clients in Western Europe and North America − rose by almost one-fifth from February's count (+18.2%). That meant buyers topped this New Year's previous record and outnumbered sellers (who rose 0.4%) nearly 3-to-1. It also means that investing sentiment in gold has only been stronger at the peak of the financial crisis and then the Covid pandemic. Tracking the number of buyers versus sellers on BullionVault each month, the Gold Investor Index is a unique gauge of sentiment built solely from actual gold trading decisions. Rebased so that a reading of 50.0 would signal a perfect balance of buyers and sellers, the Global Gold Investor Index set a lifetime high of 71.7 in September 2011, and it hit a series low of 47.5 in March 2024 when gold prices rose to what were then fresh record prices in the absence of any notable economic or financial stress. This March the Gold Investor Index rose to 60.7, adding 2.3 points to reach its highest reading since August 2020 and extending the uptrend begun on the eve of the US presidential election in autumn 2024 . Having risen so sharply during Trump's first year back in the White House, gold has shocked many observers by falling during the Iran War so far. But while gold now faces headwinds from higher inflation threatening a rise in interest rates, the danger of economic stagflation only boosts the need to spread portfolio risk as the geopolitical order breaks down. The breadth of demand says that gold remains a compelling investment in today's uncertain and increasingly dangerous world. In contrast to gold, investing sentiment in silver fell in March as the more industrially-useful precious metal sank in price, with BullionVault's gauge dropping to a 4-month low. But that still put the Silver Investor Index at 60.1, greater than all but 12 of the series' 170 previous monthly readings. Silver's price crash of 19.2% in US Dollar terms was its worst 1-month loss since September 2011 (the worst in GBP since Sept '11 at 17.5%; the worst since March 2020 in EUR at 16.8%). In response, investors using BullionVault bought almost 1.5 tonnes more than they sold as a group, taking total client holdings to 1,134 tonnes worth more than $2.6bn (£2.0bn, €2.3bn). Gold's price drop meanwhile saw BullionVault users buy more gold than they sold by weight for the first time since October, growing their total holdings by 0.2% to more than 43.4 tonnes worth $6.4 billion (£4.8bn, €5.5bn). New account openings fell by 1/3rd from February's figure (-33.2%) and totalled less than 2/5ths of January's all-time record (-60.5%). But March still marked the 8th strongest month for first-time users of BullionVault in the West London fintech's 21-year history. Altogether, the first 3 months of 2026 have now brought more new customers to BullionVault than all but 3 full calendar years since it opened in April 2005. Adrian Ash Adrian Ash is director of research at BullionVault, the world-leading physical gold, silver, platinum and palladium market for private investors online. Formerly head of editorial at London's top publisher of private-investment advice, he was City correspondent for The Daily Reckoning from 2003 to 2008, and he has now been researching and writing daily analysis of precious metals and the wider financial markets for over 20 years. A frequent guest on BBC radio and television, Adrian is regularly quoted by the Financial Times , MarketWatch and many other respected news outlets, and his views from inside the bullion market have been sought by the Economist magazine, CNBC, Bloomberg, Germany's Handelsblatt and FAZ , plus Italy's Il Sole 24 Ore. See the full archive of Adrian Ash articles on GoldNews. Please Note: All articles published here are to inform your thinking, not lead it. Only you can decide the best place for your money, and any decision you make will put your money at risk. Information or data included here may have already been overtaken by events – and must be verified elsewhere – should you choose to act on it. Please review our Terms & Conditions for accessing Gold News . Source: https://www.bullionvault.com/gold-news/gold-investor-index/buy-gold-iran-war-040220261

Hong Kong is accelerating its drive to become a global gold trading hub, in a move that supports China’s broader ambition to strengthen its influence over international bullion markets amid a shifting geopolitical landscape and record-high prices.

On February 25, Hong Kong's Financial Secretary announced measures to develop Hong Kong as a gold trading hub. Following a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Gold Exchange and the upcoming 2026 launch of the Hong Kong Gold Central Clearing System, the government will pursue three initiatives: offering tax incentives for eligible gold trading and settlement institutions; supporting the establishment of an industry association to consolidate resources, enhance market promotion, and expand networks; and creating a training framework to equip professionals with updated market knowledge and skills.

In May, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) increased its gold reserves for the seventh consecutive month, but the pace of increase slowed further, while foreign exchange reserves rose steadily. According to data released by the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) on Saturday, China's gold reserves stood at 73.83 million ounces (approximately 2,296.37 mt) at the end of May, up 60,000 ounces (approximately 1.86 mt) MoM. This marked the seventh consecutive month of gold reserve increases. For comparison, the increase was 70,000 ounces in April and 90,000 ounces in March, indicating a further slowdown in the pace of increase in May. Regarding gold prices, spot gold fell more than 1.2% on Friday, the non-farm payrolls day, closing at $3,311.86 per ounce. Zhang Yu from Huachuang Securities believes that the world is currently in a period of comprehensive restructuring across multiple dimensions, including technology, military affairs, and wealth, and various uncertainties may persist globally in the future. Therefore, gold trading may not have ended yet. Gold not only has room for absolute price increases but can also reduce the volatility of asset portfolios, making it an important asset for allocation. Meanwhile, statistics from the SAFE showed that as of the end of May 2025, China's foreign exchange reserves stood at $3,285.3 billion, up $3.6 billion from the end of April, representing a 0.11% increase. The growth rate also slowed. The SAFE stated that in May 2025, influenced by factors such as the fiscal policies, monetary policies, and economic growth prospects of major economies, the US dollar index fluctuated slightly, and global financial asset prices showed mixed performance. Factors such as exchange rate conversion and changes in asset prices collectively contributed to the rise in foreign exchange reserves during the month. China's economy continued to rebound and improve, with the quality of economic development steadily rising, providing support for the basic stability of foreign exchange reserves.