GJ Town India

  A young customer and generate incremental demand!   According to the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC), global jewellery demand is expected to rise by 5% (+102 koz) year-on-year to 1,951 koz in 2024. Steady results for Europe in Q4 should bring about a 3% rise for the full year. The mass market and bridal sector have underperformed, due to such drivers as the slower uptake of lab grown diamonds than in the US, but the top end remains robust.    This might surprise given talk of weakness in China hitting the luxury brands, but it is the entry level ones that have suffered, with the very top (where platinum is more prevalent) proving resilient. North America is expected to see slightly stronger growth in quarter four as the above positive factors remain in play and as some  are expecting the start of an uptick in the engagement market.    Destocking is also no longer a negative, but the election cast a cloud over October sales. As ...

Global platinum jewellery demand contracted 5% YoY   During Q3’21 platinum demand struggled to maintain the momentum of the first half, as the increasing shortage of key components (including semi-conductors), together with constraints on some raw materials, saw dramatic downwards revisions in the automotive market.   In addition, at times during the quarter the optimistic market tone subdued as the rise in Covid-19 cases prompted localised restrictions, serving as a reminder that economies remain fragile in this post-peak-pandemic era.    The negative impact on investor sentiment due to lower autocatalyst demand, was compounded by contagion concerns following news that Ever Grande might default on its debt obligations, as well as by growing expectations that interest rates would rise earlier than previously expected, to offset rising inflation. Changing forward market conditions, meanwhile, encouraged outflows of platinum from NYMEX depositories.    ...