Chinese investors are retreating from record-setting gold for booming equities

Group 1: Gold Demand Trends - Chinese wholesale gold demand fell to 85 metric tons in August, the weakest since 2010, down 9 tons from July [1][2] - The decline in gold demand is attributed to subdued bar and coin sales as investors shift focus to equities [2] - Despite the People's Bank of China increasing gold reserves for 10 consecutive months, private demand has decreased in 2025 [5] Group 2: Price Dynamics and Investor Behavior - Gold prices on the London Bullion Market rose nearly 4%, reaching a record high above $3,700 per troy ounce, while the Shanghai Futures Exchange saw a 26% drop in trading activity from July to August [3][6] - Price fatigue among Chinese investors has deterred new gold purchases, with muted tonnage withdrawn from the Shanghai Gold Exchange compared to historical averages [7] Group 3: Shift to Equities - Chinese investors are increasingly moving from gold to domestic stocks, with the CSI300 Index rising 10% in August and approximately 16% year-to-date due to aggressive policy support [9][10] - Retail investors have pulled 6 billion Chinese yuan (approximately $834 million) from gold ETFs in August, reducing holdings by 7.7 tons [6]