central banks

Gold breaks above $4,500 an ounce for the first time

Gold prices in Thailand surged at market open on Thursday, August 20, 2026, with domestic prices rising 1,550 baht per baht-weight as the global spot price broke above the $4,500 per ounce level for the first time.

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Central bank crisis tools may be fueling the next blowup, WSJ warns

Central banks may be inadvertently encouraging excessive leverage and subsidizing government borrowing through the very emergency facilities they created to prevent market meltdowns, according to an analysis published Saturday by The Wall Street Journal News Corp.

Gold hits 10-week high as China’s record buying streak reaches 21 months

The People's Bank of China added about 20 tons of gold to its reserves in July, its largest single-month purchase in nearly three years, as the central bank extended a buying streak that has now lasted 21 consecutive months.

Policy sentiment turns hawkish at 12 of 14 major central banks

Policy-outlook sentiment has turned more hawkish at 12 of 14 major central banks over the past year, even as the Federal Reserve and Bank of England have kept rates unchanged since December, according to data published Monday by Permutable.

Swiss National Bank’s US stock portfolio hits record $191.4B

The Swiss National Bank's US equity holdings reached a record $191.4 billion as of June 30, 2026, according to its quarterly 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission published Tuesday. The portfolio grew more than 10% during the second…

Asian central banks turn to creative tools to defend currencies without draining reserves

Central banks across emerging Asia are broadening their currency defense playbooks, moving beyond traditional foreign-exchange intervention to preserve dwindling reserves as West Asia tensions, elevated oil prices, and higher-for-longer U.S. interest rates continue to weigh on the region's currencies.

PBOC posts largest monthly gold purchase since Oct. 2023

China's central bank accelerated its gold accumulation in July, adding 640,000 ounces — nearly 20 metric tons — to its reserves in the largest monthly purchase since October 2023, according to official data released Friday. The People's Bank of China…

PBOC builds up gold reserves in Hong Kong, shifting stockpile from London

China's central bank has been quietly building up gold inventories in Hong Kong over the past few months, accelerating a shift of reserves away from London and closer to home in a move that bolsters the city's push to become…

JPMorgan warns ‘super’ El Niño could lift global inflation

JPMorgan economists have warned that the convergence of a rapidly intensifying El Niño weather pattern and elevated energy prices could add 0.3 percentage points to headline inflation across Asia and other emerging markets next year, with food-sensitive economies in the…

IMF urges central banks to tighten AI oversight now

The International Monetary Fund has called on central banks and financial regulators worldwide to strengthen oversight of artificial intelligence, warning that rapid AI adoption across trading, lending, and financial supervision could amplify systemic risks and cyber threats if left unchecked.

Gold steadies near $4,000 amid Iran conflict, Fed uncertainty

Gold hovered near $4,000 an ounce on Monday as investors weighed escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities against growing expectations that surging oil prices could push the Federal Reserve toward a rate increase, raising the opportunity cost of holding bullion. Spot gold edged…

Poland’s central bank has bought 82 tons of gold in 2026

Poland's National Bank (NBP) has purchased 82 tons of gold so far in 2026, Governor Adam Glapiński announced at a news conference in Warsaw on Thursday, reinforcing the country's position as the world's most aggressive central bank gold buyer for…

EUR/USD slides to 1.1400 as Iran oil shock boosts dollar

EUR/USD slid to the critical 1.1400 support level on Wednesday as the collapse of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire sent oil prices surging and reinforced the dollar's yield advantage over the euro, leaving traders watching for a decisive break lower.

Gold’s three-year bull market officially ends after 150% rally

Gold's three-year bull market has officially ended, according to Bloomberg, capping a rally that saw prices surge roughly 150% from late 2022 before peaking near $5,586 an ounce on January 29. The metal has since fallen into bear market territory,…

China’s PBOC makes largest gold purchase since 2023

The People's Bank of China added 480,000 troy ounces of gold to its reserves in June, its largest monthly purchase since late 2023, as the central bank took advantage of a sharp drop in bullion prices to accelerate its diversification…

ECB’s Panetta warns central banks face growing political pressure

European Central Bank policymaker Fabio Panetta warned on Monday that central banks across Europe face growing political pressure from governments grappling with rising pension costs and industrial support needs, raising fresh concerns about the erosion of monetary policy independence.

Central banks bought 41 tonnes of gold in May despite steep price slide

Central banks worldwide are maintaining their appetite for gold despite the metal's steepest quarterly decline since 2013, with two major surveys confirming that official-sector demand remains a structural pillar of the market even as prices have fallen more than 25%…

Central bankers warn AI boom risks painful repricing

At the European Central Bank's annual forum in Sintra, Portugal, which concludes today, economists and central bankers delivered pointed warnings that the artificial intelligence investment boom could end in a destabilizing market correction if returns fail to materialize on the…

Central banks plan to shrink dollar holdings for first time, survey finds

For the first time, more of the world's central banks intend to cut their dollar allocations than increase them over the coming decade, according to a survey released Tuesday by the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum. The findings reflect…

Sovereign investors pivot to energy, gold as dollar fears deepen

Sovereign wealth funds and central banks overseeing $29 trillion in assets are making a decisive shift toward energy investments while raising deepening concerns about the U.S. dollar's long-term reserve status, according to Invesco's annual Global Sovereign Asset Management Study published…

Central banks raise rates as war-driven inflation persists

Central banks across the world delivered a flurry of monetary policy decisions on Thursday, with several raising interest rates to combat inflation fueled by elevated energy prices stemming from the conflict involving Iran, while others held firm and signaled vigilance.

Fed signals rate hike as central banks globally pivot to tightening

Even as the United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday aimed at ending months of conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, central banks across developed economies are moving in the opposite direction from what peace…