Russia: Data Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity
Sat, 22/08/2009 - 22:29
Gold reserves:
Oct 2006: 12.5 million ounces Sep 2007: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx + 400,000 oz Aug 2008: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx + 400,000 oz Oct 2008: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx + 400,000 oz Jun 2009: 17.7 million ounces Jul 2009: 18.3 million ounces + 600,000 oz
http://www.cbr.ru/eng/statistics/credit_statistics/print.asp?file=liquid...
(see: "volume in millions of fine troy ounces")
There are various statements about "monetary gold" in the "Bulletin of Banking Statistics":
http://www.cbr.ru/eng/publ/
Sun, 23/08/2009 - 06:25
#2
Or should that be "gold demand up" ?!
One of my reasons for posting the Russian gold reserves was reading that Bloomberg article.
Isn't it interesting, the title is "Gold Demand Shrinks to Six-Year Low on Recession, Council Says"
Now let's examine the details of that article.
Quote:
Gold demand fell to a six-year low in the second quarter as recession curbed buying by jewelers and electronics producers, the World Gold Council said.
Note that this is based on what the "World Gold Council" have said. Contrary to what most would probably think, there is good reason to suspect the WGC of disinformation, and possibly even being "in league" with the cartel.
I do not have time right now to list the reasons behind that.
It then continues with:
Quote:
Central banks were net buyers for the first time since at least 2000.
One might think that such an occurrence would be met with more fan-fair!
My goodness, central banks net buyers for the first time in 9 years. Why? What does this mean?
Now the article continues on industrial demand:
Quote:
Global consumption fell 8.6 percent to 719.5 metric tons from a year earlier, the London-based industry group said in a report today. That’s the lowest level since the first quarter of 2003. Jewelry demand declined 22 percent and electronics, the biggest industrial use for gold, slid 26 percent.
But one must ask whether industrial demand is a significant factor in the gold market. Looking at the amount of gold traded on the LBMA each day shows clearly that by far the most significant factor in the gold market is in fact that trading market, which is enormous.
On with central bank sales/purchases:
Quote:
Central banks bought 14 tons of gold more than they sold, the first quarterly net purchases since at least 2000, according to the council, based on figures from London-based research company GFMS Ltd.
Given the incredible murkiness of the central banks (particularly the US Fed) and the way they manipulate markets, including the gold and silver markets, I think one must take any statements about central bank purchases or sales with a barrel of salt.
After the gold swaps, where the US now claim to hold German gold, that trade allowing Germany to sell its gold to depress prices....it is far from clear who has what, and whether in fact they have what they claim.
And while I'm on the WGC, they failed to take account of the gold purchases which later came to light from China.
Oh wait, that was only 450 tonnes over 5 years. 
But finally we get the the absolute classic bit of lunacy and manipulation.
Quote:
Central bank purchases aren’t counted in the 719.5 tons of total demand because they are considered a traditional source of supply, she said.
Huh !
Pardon ?!
Ummm......
You what ?!
Let me get this straight. Demand from central banks buying gold is not included because they are normally sellers 
Just to be clear, that means that the change in demand from the central banks from selling a net 69 tonnes to buying 14 tonnes is PLUS 83 tonnes. This means that global demand for gold increased by 2%. Rather than declining 8.6%!
And then just to complete this appalling peace of misinformation:
Quote:
Other such sources showed gains, including a 6 percent rise in mine production from the second quarter of 2008, and a 21 percent jump in recycled metal, the report said.
Oh dear me no that's not right.
Quote:
SOUTH Africa’s gold output continues to fall, according to figures released by Statistics South Africa yesterday.In June 2009, the country’s gold output fell 12.2% compared with the same month last year . South Africa is the world’s third-largest gold producer behind China and the US.
However, South Africa’s position could soon come under threat from Australia.
In its mining production data, Statistics SA said total mineral production was down 7.3% in June compared with the same month last year.
Non-gold minerals production declined by 6.4%, the Pretoria-based agency said. — Sapa
http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=337268
==============
This leads to a very interesting question.
Why are the following being misrepresented:
1. The gold market.
2. The US bond sales.
I refer to the discrepancy between these two:
Discrepancy of treasury sales to foreigners
http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg263.htm
versus
http://www.ustreas.gov/tic/mfh.txt
Could it just be that the central bank ponzi scheme is on the ropes, and that the arch critics of that system , gold and silver, must be silenced to prevent the masses from seeing the perilous state of the world money system?
Yes, I think that is exactly what it is.
This mass media misinformation makes it VERY difficult to know the truth. One must select sources of information very carefully.
Sun, 23/08/2009 - 06:38
#3
Are the European Central Banks Done Dumping Their Gold?
Further on this subject:
This is from "Dave in Denver". One to watch 
Are the European Central Banks Done Dumping Their Gold?
http://truthingold.blogspot.com/2009/08/are-european-central-banks-done-...
Quote:
From the Economic Times on 8/3: "Net official sector [European Central Bank system] gold sales in 2009 may drop to their lowest level since 1994, after sales in the first half of the year fell 73 percent from a year earlier, metals consultancy GFMS said in a report on Monday."Regarding the latest Central Bank gold sales agreement, the GFMS issued this statement: "Gold sales under the new Central Bank Gold Agreement are unlikely to reach their full quota of 2,000 tonnes over the next five years, or 400 tonnes per year, the chairman of metals consultancy GFMS told Reuters on Friday."
Last week the ECB system reported zero weekly gold sales. In fact, over the last several weeks, ECB gold sales have been extraordinarily negligible. By the end of July, the ECB system had sold just 140 tons of gold under a contract that limits annual sales to 500 tons. That contract expires in September. This is by far lowest annual amount of gold sold by the ECB since I've been involved in the gold market over the last 8 years.
You see, gold is the base, the foundation, of this fiat paper money system, and when it collapses, the base is the only thing that will be left.
Got gold? 
Sun, 23/08/2009 - 08:32
#4
Gold doesn't convince me
Nor does fiat.
Wed, 26/08/2009 - 22:09
#5
Russian Central Bank Gold Holdings 2006 to 2009 Chart
Thanks to Richard Nachbar of http://www.coinexpert.com/ for keeping track.
Sat, 19/09/2009 - 21:53
#6
Update on Russian Gold Reserves & compared with China
The central bank buying/selling of gold is becoming a rather interesting subject these days.
When most central banks agree to be sellers of gold, it's a bit boring, but when some start being buyers...now that's interesting.
I quote Ed Steer:
Quote:
I also note that The Central Bank of the Russian Federation updated its website for August yesterday. In doing so, they showed that they have increased their gold holdings by another 300,000 ounces from the previous month. So far in 2009, they have purchased 1.9 million ounces. Their gold reserves now total 18.6 million fine troy ounces. The graphs below, courtesy of Richard Nachbar, tell all. Richard Nachbar is a rare coin dealer in upstate New York
I'd like to compare Russia with China, following my recent articles on China gold buying.
In this article:
An Open Letter to China: How much gold you need to buy to offset the fall in value of your US$ holdings
http://neuralnetwriter.cylo42.com/node/1872
I showed that China should be buying up to 100 million oz of gold to hedge against a fall in the US$.
Compare that with the Russia gold reserve of 18.6 million oz, up by 1.9 million oz this year so far.
Over the past 6 years China have purchased 14 million oz of gold.
This is a subject I will be expanding upon later.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ayr30bHgFXQE