上海日报

黄金珠宝需求第2季度在中国上升，主要受该国比预期好的经济增长驱动。

世界黄金协会(WGC)在其季度黄金需求报告中说，中国，包括大陆、台湾和香港在内，第2季度黄金需求年率增长4%至78.7吨。

该报告说，中国大陆需求年比增长6%，同期提升了黄金珠宝需求至72.5吨。

WGCs说，“中国大陆是全球珠宝市场中最有弹性的。

“与世界其它地区26%的需求下滑相比，中国大陆独树一帜。”WGC说，人民币的相对稳定与中国经济增长导致了珠宝需求的上升。

中国的银行信贷飞涨缓冲了全球信贷紧缩的影响，而积极地刺激计划支持了国内经济。

中国上半年经济增长7.1%，第2季度增长7.9%，超过预期。

24克拉黄金市场是最有弹性的，而18克拉珠宝需求有所平抑。

18克拉黄金珠宝市场的清淡可能是因为对铂金消费偏好的转移，铂金本年价格下跌40%使消费上升。

零售黄金投资第2季度在中国大陆上升47%至17.1吨。

西汉志：郑鹏

China's gold demand sparkles in Q2
(Shanghai Daily)

THE demand for gold jewelry in China grew in the second quarter, driven mainly by the country's better-than-expected economic growth.

The demand rose 4 percent annually to 78.7 tons in the second quarter in China, including the mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong, the World Gold Council said in its quarterly gold demand report.

There was an even stronger year-on-year growth in demand on the Chinese mainland of 6 percent, which boosted its appetite for gold jewelry to 72.5 tons in the period, it said.

"China's mainland proved to be the most resilient among global jewelry markets," said the WGC.”

"The mainland stands out in comparison to the 26 percent decline recorded across the rest of the world."The relative stability of the yuan and China's economic growth have been instrumental in propping up jewelry demand, WGC report said.

A surge in bank lending has helped cushion the impact from the global credit crunch, while an aggressive stimulus package has underpinned the domestic economy.

China's economy grew 7.1 percent in the first half, with a better-than-expected growth of 7.9 percent in the second quarter.

The 24-carat gold market is the most resilient while demand for 18-carat jewelry has eased.
The lackluster 18-carat gold jewelry market may be due to a shift in consumer preferences toward platinum, which has benefited from a price fall of about 40 percent at the retail level this year.

The retail gold investment rose 47 percent on the Chinese mainland to 17.1 tons in the second quarter.