Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-10-18 11:22Core Viewpoint - The current surge in gold prices and gold stocks is driven by central banks' strategic shift towards gold as a reliable asset, particularly in light of geopolitical tensions and concerns over U.S. debt reliability [3][4]. Group 1: Central Bank Actions - Central banks globally have been net buyers of over 1,000 tons of gold annually, with China increasing its reserves to 2,303 tons by September [3]. - The global gold ETF market saw a significant increase, with a net addition of 130 tons in Q3, bringing the total to nearly 4,000 tons [3]. Group 2: Performance of Gold Stocks - The gold stock index in A-shares has doubled this year, with leading companies like Zijin Mining and Shandong Gold seeing nearly 100% increases, while smaller stocks have more than doubled [3][4]. - Zijin Mining's revenue rose from 12.9 billion to 21.2 billion over three years, with net profit increasing from 1.3 billion to 3.4 billion, reflecting strong performance [3]. Group 3: Valuation and Investment Considerations - Key factors for selecting gold stocks include resource reserves and extraction costs, with Zijin and Shandong having longer mine life and lower costs compared to others like Chifeng Gold [4]. - Current valuations show Zijin at 61 times earnings, Shandong at 44 times, and Chifeng below 30 times, indicating a premium for companies with longer mine life and higher reserves [4][5]. - The optimistic market sentiment is supported by the increasing monetary attributes of gold, as central banks continue to buy despite high prices, reflecting a long-term bullish outlook [5].