Russia: banks gold purchases down in 2018

Gold purchases by Russian banks fell by 4.5%, to 195.85 tons in 2018, which accounted for 69% of all produced gold, a source in the Finance Ministry reported on January 22. “Besides, domestic banks signed sales contracts for gold for the same amount, 195.89 tons, in 2016. VTB, Gazprombank, Sberbank and Otkritie Financial Corporation (FC)…