Turkey’s Silver Imports Surge to Most Since 1999 as Prices Slide

Turkey’s silver imports climbed in December to the highest since at least 1999 and inbound shipments of gold rose to the most since July as the metals capped their biggest annual decline in more than three decades.

Imports of silver gained to 41.6 metric tons last month, 36 percent more than in November and above September’s amount of 39.9 tons, according to data on the Istanbul Gold Exchange’s website going back to 1999. That took the full year figure to 227.8 tons, 60 percent more than 2012 and compared with 42.1 tons in all of 2011. Gold imports increased 64 percent in December to 31.6 tons, the data show.