Yellow metal purchases from Hong Kong 'will hold steady'

The Chinese mainland's gold purchases from Hong Kong in 2015 may hold around this year's levels as physical demand in the world's biggest consumer remains stable and the country considers easing restrictions on imports.

Net imports slumped 32 percent to 692 metric tons from January through November compared with the same period last year, according to Bloomberg calculations based on data from the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department.

The figures do not represent all imports of the metal by the mainland, which does not publish such data.