關注社會:中國和印度黃金需求下降

Global gold demand hit its lowest level in more than two years in the second quarter amid a weakening appetite for the yellow metal in India and China.

隨着印度和中國黃金需求的下降，今年二季度全球黃金需求降至兩年多以來的最低水平。

Demand in the period fell by 7% to 990 metric tons from the second quarter of 2011, according to the World Gold Council, an industry group. This is the lowest since the first quarter of 2010.

根據行業組織世界黃金協會(World Gold Council)提供的數據，二季度全球黃金需求降至990噸，同比下降7%，爲2010年一季度以來的最低水平。

India and China, the world's heavyweight gold consumers that together accounted for 45% of second-quarter gold demand, both cut back their purchases of the precious metal amid concerns about growth, according to the council's quarterly report on the gold market, which was released Thursday.

世界黃金協會週四發佈的黃金市場季度報告顯示，作爲全球主要的黃金消費國，印度和中國二季度黃金需求佔全球黃金總需求的45%。由於經濟增長放緩引發的擔憂，兩國都減少了黃金這種貴金屬的購買量。

The demand from exchange-traded funds that buy gold bars on behalf of their investors was flat, according to the report.

報告顯示，交易所交易基金(ETF)的黃金需求與去年同期持平。

'When you have two out of the three pillars of gold demand wobbling, then you can have potential problems' in the form of lower prices, said Jon Nadler, senior analyst with at Montreal bullion dealer Kitco Metals Inc.

位於蒙特利爾的金銀交易商Kitco Metals Inc.的高級分析師納德勒(Jon Nadler)說，當支撐黃金需求的三根支柱有兩根已經搖搖欲墜時，你可能要遇到價格下跌的潛在問題了。

Gold futures for August delivery gained $12.40, or 0.8%, to settle at $1,616.10 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold prices are up 3.2% on the year, but off 14.4% from a record $1,888.70 hit Aug. 22, 2011.

紐約商品交易所Comex分部8月交割的黃金期貨合約漲12.40美元，至每盎司1,616.10美元，漲幅爲0.8%。黃金價格8月同比上漲3.2%，但較2011年8月22日的1,888.70美元的歷史最高水平下跌了14.4%。

Excluding central banks and industrial users, gold demand was down 13% to 721.1 tons. Central banks continued their bullion buying spree as they diversify their reserves away from dollars and euros, purchasing 157.5 tons in the second quarter, a record.

剔除央行和工業使用者的需求後，全球黃金需求下降了13%，至721.1噸。爲了減少美元和歐元儲備、使儲備多樣化，全球央行仍然在大舉購買黃金，第二季度的購買量創下157.5噸的歷史新高。

India recaptured the crown as the world's top consumer in the second quarter, after losing out to China for two consecutive quarters. However, India's consumer demand for gold, a metric that combines sales of jewelry, coins, and bars, is down 38% to 181.3 metric tons.

二季度印度重新奪回了世界第一大黃金消費國的地位，此前兩個季度，印度的黃金需求皆落後於中國。不過，印度消費者的黃金需求下降了38%，至181.3噸。消費者的黃金需求包括珠寶、金幣和金條的銷量。

The decline was attributed to the persistently weak rupee, which has kept gold in rupee terms near record highs despite declines in global gold prices.

盧比的持續疲軟導致印度消費者黃金需求的下降。儘管全球金價下跌，但盧比的疲弱導致以盧比計價的黃金價格保持在接近歷史高點的水平。

'India will continue to be out of the market for a while,' said George Gero, senior vice president with RBC Wealth Management. He said the dry monsoon season has cut into farmers incomes, leaving many buyers with little disposable income.

加拿大皇家銀行財富管理公司(RBC Wealth Management)高級副總裁格羅(George Gero)說，印度消費者對黃金的需求將繼續保持低迷狀態。他說，乾旱的季風季令農民收入減少，許多買家可支配收入都微乎其微。

There were bright spots in the demand data. Excluding India and China, global retail investment demand for gold, mostly from Europe, actually rose 16% to 195.2 metric tons.

黃金需求數據中也不乏亮點。除印度和中國外，全球黃金零售投資需求上升了16%，達到195.2噸，其中大多數來自歐洲。