Small and simple is fine, but glitter remains key

Traders say demand for precious metals on the rise as nation's annual retail rush takes shape

Spring Festival is normally a glittering season for gold traders and dealers, but this year is less heated than previous ones, with market insiders saying consumers are favoring simpler designs and smaller, inevitably cheaper, products.

"As Chinese new year falls in February, we have had more time to prepare for the surge - but for sure, smaller, simpler items are going fast," said Liu Caifeng, the manager of Yayi Jewelry Co Ltd in Shanghai's Yu Garden, one of the city's shopping hubs for gold jewelry.