VietNam Business: gold price

Showing posts with label gold price. Show all posts

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Domestic gold prices set new record

Domestic gold prices soared on Oct. 6 to a new record of 33 million VND
per tael (1,690 USD), an increase of 1.4 million VND (72 USD) per tael
over Oct.5's price, as speculators created a run on gold shops.

A tael is equivalent to 1.2 ounces.

The gold-selling districts in Hanoi and HCM City were thronged
with people and saw prices change at least four times in the morning,
with Sai Gon Jewelry Co (SJC), Sacombank Jewelry Co, Bao Tin Minh Chau,
Agribank Jewelry Co and Phu Nhuan Jewelry Co quoting buy/sell prices at
32.85/33 million VND.

Domestic gold prices have
increased by over 24.4 percent since January, when prices stood at about
26.5 million VND (1,360 USD).

Sacombank Jewelry
general director Nguyen Ngoc Que Chi said on Oct. 6's rush of buyers was
due to a large number of speculators who had bought futures contracts
in prior months and now sought to acquire gold before the price shot up
further, putting a run on the available supply of the precious metal.

SJC's Hanoi director, Luu Quang Dien, agreed,
adding, "Many big trades are made by phone and the supply is limited, so
the company has to select familiar customers to whom to sell."

The increase made domestic gold price be 1 million VND (51.28 USD)
higher than global gold price, which ignites concerns involving gold
smuggling to take profits. Domestic price is normally just
200,000-300,000 VND higher than global price.

Rumours were rife on the gold market last week that supplies were
falling short of demand and that gold prices would continue to set new
record highs,so State Bank of Vietnam Governor Nguyen Van Giau
attempted to counter the rumours and blamed any rises in prices on
speculation rather than a gold shortage.

"With this
kind of sensitive item, our policy is not to completely ban gold
imports, but gold companies are not permitted to import any volume they
want," Giau said.

"Despite the shortage of gold at
this time, I don't think the State Bank of Vietnam will allow
enterprises to import more because of foreign exchange rates and
inflation," commented the head of a jewelry company who asked to remain
unnamed.

On the global market on Oct. 6, spot gold rose as high as 1,349.80 USD per ounce, its eighth record in the past two weeks.

The US dollar on black market on Oct. 6 also rose by 170 VND to
19,750-19,850 VND while bank exchange rates remained unchanged at 19,500
VND per dollar./.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Domestic gold prices set new record

Domestic gold prices Wednesday soared to a new record of VND33 million per tael (US$1,690), an increase of VND1.4 million ($72) per tael over Tuesday's price, as speculators created a run on gold shops.

A tael is equivalent to 1.2 ounces.

The gold-selling districts in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City were thronged with people and saw prices change at least four times in the morning, with Sai Gon Jewelry Co (SJC), Sacombank Jewelry Co, Bao Tin Minh Chau, Agribank Jewelry Co and Phu Nhuan Jewelry Co quoting buy/sell prices at VND32.85/33 million.

Domestic gold prices have increased by over 24.4 per cent since January, when prices stood at about VND26.5 million ($1,360).

Sacombank Jewelry general director Nguyen Ngoc Que Chi said yesterday's rush of buyers was due to a large number of speculators who had bought futures contracts in prior months and now sought to acquire gold before the price shot up further, putting a run on the available supply of the precious metal.

SJC's Ha Noi director, Luu Quang Dien, agreed, adding, "Many big trades are made by phone and the supply is limited, so the company has to select familiar customers to whom to sell."

The increase made domestic gold price be VND1 million ($51.28) higher than global gold price, which ignites concerns involving gold smuggling to take profits. Domestic price is normally just VND200,000-300,000 higher than global price.

Rumors were rife on the gold market last week that supplies were falling short of demand and that gold prices would continue to set new record highs, so State Bank of Viet Nam Governor Nguyen Van Giau attempted to counter the rumors and blamed any rises in prices on speculation rather than a gold shortage.

"With this kind of sensitive item, our policy is not to completely ban gold imports, but gold companies are not permitted to import any volume they want," Giau said.

"Despite the shortage of gold at this time, I don't think the State Bank of Viet Nam will allow enterprises to import more because of foreign exchange rates and inflation," commented the head of a jewelry company who asked to remain unnamed.

On the global market yesterday, spot gold rose as high as $1,349.80 per ounce, its eighth record in the past two weeks.

The US dollar on black market yesterday also rose by VND170 to VND19,750-19,850 while bank exchange rates remained unchanged at VND19,500 per dollar.

Domestic gold prices set new record

HA NOI — Domestic gold prices soared yesterday to a new record of VND33 million per tael (US$1,690), an increase of VND1.4 million ($72) per tael over Tuesday's price, as speculators created a run on gold shops.

A tael is equivalent to 1.2 ounces.

The gold-selling districts in Ha Noi and HCM City were thronged with people and saw prices change at least four times in the morning, with Sai Gon Jewelry Co (SJC), Sacombank Jewelry Co, Bao Tin Minh Chau, Agribank Jewelry Co and Phu Nhuan Jewelry Co quoting buy/sell prices at VND32.85/33 million.

Domestic gold prices have increased by over 24.4 per cent since January, when prices stood at about VND26.5 million ($1,360).

SJC's Ha Noi director, Luu Quang Dien, agreed, adding, "Many big trades are made by phone and the supply is limited, so the company has to select familiar customers to whom to sell."

Rumours were rife on the gold market last week that supplies were falling short of demand and that gold prices would continue to set new record highs,so State Bank of Viet Nam Governor Nguyen Van Giau attempted to counter the rumours and blamed any rises in prices on speculation rather than a gold shortage.

"With this kind of sensitive item, our policy is not to completely ban gold imports, but gold companies are not permitted to import any volume they want," Giau said.

On the global market yesterday, spot gold rose as high as $1,349.80 per ounce, its eighth record in the past two weeks.

The US dollar on black market yesterday also rose by VND170 to VND19,750-19,850 while bank exchange rates remained unchanged at VND19,500 per dollar. — VNS

Sunday, January 9, 2011

High gold price fails to deter shoppers

Photo: AFP

Demand for gold jewelry on the domestic market has not significantly changed despite the fact that the cost of gold has climbed to its highest ever level, according to industry experts.

"In recent days, we have had a large number of customers across the country," said General Director of Bao Tin Minh Chau Joint Stock Co Vu Minh Chau.

Chau added that as the wedding season approached, his company had seen no change in customer volume.

Sai Gon Jewelry Holdings Co (SJC) reported business had remained unchanged.

"The number of people buying wedding jewelry still remains high. However, the number of customers shopping for everyday jewelry is down 20 percent," said Tran Thi Ngoc Suong, head of SJC's Jewelry Department.

To maintain customer volume, gold companies have designed a variety of new products comprising less gold.

"Our company has introduced many new products. We cut down the gold weight so that more customers can afford them," said Chau.

He added that with only about VND1 million (US$52), customers could buy a wedding ring.

"We use modern technology, which helps us produce light weight gold jewelry," he added.

The company has also organized a number of discount promotional programs.

These new methods seem to be working for the gold companies, attracting large numbers of mid-income earners.

"It is a clever choice to buy cheaper wedding jewelry with good design when the gold price is so high," said Van Anh, a customer.

The price of gold on the domestic market has significantly increased. It climbed to VND31.64 million ($1.600) per tael (1.2 troy ounces) on Monday.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

High gold price fails to deter shoppers

Demand for gold jewellery on the domestic market has not significantly
changed despite the fact that the cost of gold has climbed to its
highest ever level, according to industry experts.

"In recent days, we have had a large number of customers across the
country, " said General Director of Bao Tin Minh Chau Joint Stock
Company Vu Minh Chau.

Chau added that as the wedding season approached, his company had seen no change in customer volume.

Sai Gon Jewellery Holdings Company (SJC) reported business had remained unchanged.

"The number of people buying wedding jewellery still remains high.
However, the number of customers shopping for everyday jewellery is down
20 percent," said Tran Thi Ngoc Suong, head of SJC's Jewellery
Department.

To maintain customer volume, gold companies have designed a variety of new products comprising less gold.

"Our company has introduced many new products. We cut down the gold
weight so that more customers can afford them," said Chau.

He added that with only about 1 million VND (52 USD), customers could buy a wedding ring.

"We use modern technology, which helps us produce light weight gold jewellery," he added.

The company has also organised a number of discount promotional programmes.

These new methods seem to be working for the gold companies, attracting large numbers of mid-income earners.

"It is a clever choice to buy cheaper wedding jewellery with good
design when the gold price is so high," said Van Anh, a customer.

The price of gold on the domestic market has significantly increased.
Yesterday afternoon, it climbed to 31.64 million VND (1.600 USD) per
tael (1.2 troy ounces)./.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Speculators cause domestic gold hike

The price of gold on the local market has risen due to possible speculation rather than a supply shortage, according to Nguyen Van Giau, governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV).

The global gold price set new records in the past few days, as did the domestic gold market.

The SBV and the Vietnam Gold Association had kept a close watch on the market in the last few days, and discovered there was no shortage of gold, Giau said, adding that speculation was possibly the cause for the price rise.

Domestic gold prices in August and the first half of September were lower than the world price. But currently the domestic price is VND400,000 per tael higher than the global price.

The SBV was working with other agencies, including the police and market management, to discover the reasons behind the price hikes.

"With this kind of sensitive item, our policy is not to completely ban gold imports, but gold companies are not permitted to import any volume they want," Giau said.

"We are establishing a management framework for gold trading and imports so that it is suitable with a market economy. We will collect ideas from ministries and industries when we complete it."

Nguyen The Hung, general director of the Vietnam Gold Investment and Trading Co, said the gold price on the domestic market would be equal or even lower than the world price if the SBV permitted gold importers to import gold.

However, the government has stopped granting permits for gold imports, which indicates that it no longer considers gold an essential item, according to an expert.

In addition, the higher gold price had not affected people's lives since few people conducted their transactions in gold, he said.

The gold price on the domestic market on Thursday morning fell to VND31.15 million (US$1,597) per tael (1.2 ounces) after it reached a record of more than VND31.3 million ($1,605 USD) per tael on Wednesday, following an upward trend in global gold prices.

On Thursday morning, SBJ gold was also bought and sold at VND31.15 million ($1,597) and VND31.18 million ($1,599) per tael, respectively.

Sai Gon Jewelry Holding Co on the same day bought the precious metal at VND31.14 million and sold it at VND31.18 million VND per tael, a reduction of 130,000 – 170,000 VND against Wednesday.

Most gold shops in Ho Chi Minh City Wednesday raised their price by more than VND700,000 ($21.3) over the previous day’s price to VND31.25-31.36 million per tael.

The global gold price on that day reached an all-time high of $1,313 an ounce on speculation that a global economic recovery would stoke inflation. In Asia, the metal slightly fell to $1,309 an ounce in the morning.

The weakening of the US dollar on the world market has also contributed to the gold price hike, analysts have said.

Speculators cause domestic gold hike