黄金定价逻辑生变？央行连续出手，华尔街巨头转向

Central Bank Actions - The People's Bank of China has increased its gold reserves to 7.396 million ounces as of the end of July, marking a month-on-month increase of 60,000 ounces and continuing a trend of nine consecutive months of accumulation, aligning with a global central bank gold buying spree [3][5] - The World Gold Council reported that global central bank gold purchases in the first half of 2024 exceeded the ten-year average by 40%, highlighting the importance of central bank demand for gold [3] ETF Inflows - As of August 6, the lowest fee gold ETF (518660) saw a net inflow of 98 million yuan over five days, with a total market size of 3.59 billion yuan and a year-to-date share growth rate of 182%, making it a preferred choice for investors [7] - The World Gold Council forecasts that global gold demand will reach 1,249 tons by the second quarter of 2025, with ETF investments contributing 170 tons, and the first half of 2024 recorded the highest ETF demand since 2020 at 397 tons [7] Changing Price Expectations - Citibank, known for its bearish stance on gold, has revised its price forecast upward, increasing the three-month target price from $3,300 to $3,500 per ounce, with a trading range of $3,300 to $3,600 per ounce [9] - The shift in Citibank's outlook is attributed to increasing risks of "stagflation" in the U.S. economy, with July non-farm payrolls increasing by only 73,000 and the unemployment rate rising to 4.1%, leading to heightened expectations for aggressive rate cuts by the Federal Reserve [10] Market Sentiment and Risks - Standard Chartered maintains an optimistic view, predicting gold prices could reach $3,400 per ounce in the next three months and remain at $3,500 per ounce over the next 12 months [11] - However, there are concerns about short-term upward momentum for gold prices, with risks of overheating in the market, as noted by招商证券, which suggests focusing on structural opportunities rather than broad bets on rising gold prices [12][13] - Key risk factors identified include potential policy reversals by the Federal Reserve, technical overbought conditions, competition from alternative assets like Bitcoin, and the possibility of reduced geopolitical premiums due to easing trade tensions [13]