Group 1 - COMEX gold futures increased by $20.30, or 0.59%, reaching $3453.7 per ounce, driven by China's central bank's continuous gold reserve expansion for nine months [1] - As of the end of July, China's central bank increased its gold reserves by 60,000 ounces to 73.96 million ounces, totaling approximately 36 tons since November last year [1] - The Shanghai Futures Exchange's gold inventory has reached a historical high, with over 36 tons of gold bars registered for futures delivery, reflecting a surge in arbitrage activities and strong demand for futures [1] Group 2 - Traders and banks are capitalizing on the price difference by buying lower-priced gold in the spot market and sending it to exchange warehouses, indicating strong demand in China's gold trading market [2] - Citigroup has revised its bearish outlook on gold, predicting prices will rise to record highs due to deteriorating U.S. economic conditions and inflationary tariffs, with a forecast range of $3,300 to $3,600 per ounce in the next three months [2] Group 3 - The U.S. non-farm payrolls data for July fell short of expectations, signaling a weakening economy, with an 80.3% probability of a rate cut by August 3, potentially leading to a new round of rate cut trading [3] - The recently released "Implementation Plan for High-Quality Development of the Gold Industry (2025-2027)" outlines key directions for domestic gold resource development, including exploration and mining [3] Group 4 - Key Hong Kong-listed gold and precious metal companies include Zijin Mining (02899), Shandong Gold (01787), Zhaojin Mining (01818), Chifeng Jilong Gold (06693), Lingbao Gold (03330), China Gold International (02099), and others [4]