The World Gold Council’s Q2 2024 Gold Demand Trends report highlights a significant surge in global gold demand, reaching a record 1,258 tonnes, a 4% increase year-on-year and marking the strongest Q2 performance in the Council's data series

In the first half of 2024, gold has demonstrated a robust performance, defying expectations by surging 12% year-to-date and surpassing most major asset classes

The World Gold Council's Q3 Gold Demand Trends report highlights the enduring appeal of gold as an asset, with central bank buying remaining robust and exceeding historical averages

Gold bars and coins continued to hold favour with investors in several countries around the world.

Gold ETFs plunged in 2022 due to the steep rise in the price of the yellow metal.

Report informs of a strong third quarter that lifts gold demand to pre-pandemic levels

Gold demand defies Q2 headwinds with year-on-year recovery in first half of 2022

WGC notes a strong gold ETF demand year-to-date despite outflows in June

Demand for gold reached 1,147t in Q4 2021, its highest quarterly level since Q2 2019, and an increase of almost 50% year-on-year, according to the WGC

Global gold ETFs saw net outflows of 173 tonnes or $9.1 billion, while India-based ETFs saw inflows of 9.3 tonnes or $595.3 million during the year

Net gold ETF sales were  small; when compared to the pandemic-induced buying surge of a year earlier, this was enough to place overall gold demand into a Y-O-Y decline

Jewellery and investment demand is expected to continue its post-pandemic recovery in the second half of the year

Gold investment demand fell in Q1, while value of gold jewellery purchased by consumers enjoyed a post-Covid rebound, rising to 477.4t - a 52% annual increase

Vandana Jagwani, creative head at Bandra-based Mahesh Notandas Fine Jewellery shares some ideas about the challenging present and seems hopeful about the future