China remains largest gold buyer

The nation remained the world's largest consumer of gold bars and coins in 2017, investing in 306.4 metric tons, on the back of strong domestic demand and a rise in young consumers, the World Gold Council reported on Tuesday.

Wang Lixin, managing director of the WGC in China, said that annual demand in China last year was 8 percent higher than in 2016, comfortably above its five-year average of 284.8 tons.

"Looking at jewelry demand, China's 6 percent growth year-on-year in the sector in the fourth quarter heavily contributed to a 3 percent rise in annual jewelry demand - the first yearly increase since 2013," Wang said.