China’s Gold Shipments From Hong Kong Decline as Demand Weakens

China’s gold imports from Hong Kong fell in January as jewelers and fabricators in the world’s largest consumer of the precious metal reduced purchases on expectation demand may weaken after Lunar New Year holidays.

Net imports totaled 83.6 metric tons last month, compared with 91.9 tons in December and 19.6 tons a year earlier, according to calculations by Bloomberg News based on data from the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department today. Exports to Hong Kong from China declined to 19 tons in January from 34.8 tons in December, the Statistics Department said in a separate statement. Mainland China doesn’t publish such data.