Gold volumes for the benchmark cash contract on the Shanghai Gold Exchange soared to a record today, as the market re-opened after the New Year’s week long holiday and bargain hunters started buying.

The volume for bullion of 99.99% purity exceeded 22,000 kilograms (22 metric tons), according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Prices fell 2.8% to 327.25 yuan/gram ($1,630.29/oz) as of 5:04 p.m. Singapore time.

“Chinese investors returned to the market today after the holiday, and the slump in gold prices in the past week provided great incentive for buying as many Chinese are still holding a bullish outlook on gold,” Qu Mingyu, a trader at Bank of China Ltd., the 4th largest lender by assets, commented today.  The return of demand in Asia was not limited to China as demand in India was also seen overnight. [Read more...]