Ammon News - Global gold demand including over-the-counter (OTC) trading rose by 3% year-on-year to 1,248.8 metric tons in the second quarter of 2025 as investment jumped 78%, the World Gold Council said on Thursday.

Spot gold prices are up 26% so far this year after hitting a record $3,500 per troy ounce in April as uncertain global trade policy and geopolitical turbulence fuelled inflows into safe-haven assets.

Global gold jewellery consumption, the main category of physical demand, fell 14% to 341.0 tons, the lowest level since the pandemic-swept third quarter of 2020, as the high prices deterred buyers.

"Much of the decline came from China and India, whose combined market share fell below 50% for only the third time in the last five years," the WGC said.

Central banks, another major source of gold demand, reduced purchases by 21% to 166.5 tons in the second quarter, the WGC calculated, based on reported purchases and an estimate of unreported buying. Reuters