Local gold price matches global market price

Low demand for gold in the local market makes local gold prices equal with the world's yesterday. - Photo tigiavang.

The global price of the yellow metal rose sharply, while the local price remained stable.

On March 1, Sai Gon Jewellery Joint Stock Company sold one tael of SJC gold at VND33.64 million (US$1,506). At the same time, the global gold trading floor listed one ounce of gold at $1,244.9 (also at VND33.6 million per tael or 1.2 ounces).

The largest difference in prices was VND5 million and VND6 million per tael in 2010, when people flocked to jewellery shops to buy gold bars, no matter how high the prices rose. Now, the local gold shops, many of which have stop trading in gold bars, see a much lower demand for gold bars. They mostly trade in jewellery instead, with a lower demand.

A representative of Saigon Jewellery Company said they received more sellers of gold than buyers recently, explaining that increased supply and lower demand could not raise the local gold prices.

According to reuters.com, gold jumped for a second straight session on Tuesday, bolstered by a safe-haven demand for the metal, after weak Chinese data stoked concerns about the global economy, with the volume of assets in the top bullion fund climbing to its highest level since 2014.

Banking expert Nguyen Tri Hieu told Viet Nam News that in the local market the demand for gold was less because people had found other investment channels such as real estate investment, which was looking up, and bank savings, which were enjoying better interest rates.

Hieu said the central bank's management of the exchange rate, though it was not a direct factor, was also a good tool to correct gold prices.

Hieu said the buying and selling rates for each dollar were listed between VND22,350 and VND22,410, since this year's rates were lower than the ceiling prices last year, adding that the stable rate helped to improve the public trust in the dong. As the result, they will put their money on dollars or gold.

Nguyen Hoang Minh, deputy director of the State Bank in the HCM City branch, said while the matching of the local and global gold prices could help reduce gold speculation and gold smuggling, it also would contribute to the stabilisation of the exchange rate and the general macro-economic situation.

Bullion's rally

Duong Anh Vu, deputy head of the analysis desk in Viet Nam Gold Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company (VGB), said while the local gold prices matched the world prices now, they were unlikely to be cheaper.

He said cheaper local gold prices could only happen if the world prices unexpectedly rose, while the people flocked to sell their gold in the local market.

However, Vu said the strong gold prices in the world market could be affected if the next meeting of the United States Federal Reserve System considered another interest rate hike. Meanwhile, many people in Viet Nam still consider gold an asset because of its high liquidity despite low demand. Thus, it is highly unlikely that Viet Nam will see cheaper gold prices, compared with the world market.

Local consumer Nguyen Minh Ngoc, 33, said she bought gold instead of selling it as she did not consider the metal as a trading tool, adding, "It is my own savings. I can use it when I want."

Bloomberg.com said global bullion prices rallied 16 per cent this year, topping the gauges of high-yield and investment-grade corporate bonds, the American treasury, currencies and major stock indexes, as global growth concerns spurred the demand for the metal as a safe investment.