China’s Silver Imports Jump to Record on Retail and Solar Demand

China’s imports of silver surged to an all-time high in March as demand from retail investors and the country’s massive solar industry pushed purchases well above the seasonal average.

The world’s biggest silver consumer imported around 836 tons last month, extending a strong run of inbound shipments so far this year, according to Chinese customs data on Monday. That compares with a 10-year seasonal average for March of about 306 tons.