GOLD

When buying physical gold coins, the spot price is only part of what investors pay. Dealer premiums — driven by supply, demand, hedging costs, payment methods, and logistics — can significantly affect the true purchase price and eventual profitability.

China's official gold reserves rose again in January, extending a 15-month buying streak even as prices climbed. Analysts say the measured accumulation reflects Beijing's push to diversify official reserves, with gold still a smaller share of China's holdings than the global average.

Gold crashed 9% on Friday following Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair, marking its worst single day since 1983, yet major banks maintain bullish forecasts of $6,000–$6,300 by year-end, citing sustained central bank buying and structural demand.

JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank see gold's 11 per cent crash on the Warsh Fed announcement as a prime buying opportunity, raising price targets to $6,300 and $6,000 per ounce respectively. Despite Friday's worst single-day decline in a decade, both Wall Street giants cite robust central bank demand and structural diversification trends as drivers for substantial upside in 2026.