Economics
Central Banks Are Ditching the Dollar for Gold
- Banks bought 145.5 tons in first quarter: World Gold Council
- Council expects central bank demand to stay strong this year
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First-quarter gold purchases by central banks, led by Russia and China, were the highest in six years as countries diversify their assets away from the U.S. dollar.
Global gold reserves rose 145.5 tons in the first quarter, a 68 percent increase from a year earlier, the World Gold Council said Thursday in a report. Russia remains the largest buyer as the nation reduces its U.S. Treasury holdings as part of a de-dollarization drive.