
TOKYO/NEW DELHI -- Global gold demand slipped 1% to 4,356 tons in 2019 due to weaker appetite for jewelry in Asia amid economic uncertainty and higher prices.
Gold, known as a safe-haven asset, has become more expensive as buyers fret over U.S.- China trade friction and tensions in the Middle East. Gold futures in New York rose to $1,523 an ounce in December, compared with $1,284 in January 2019.