Swiss monthly gold exports to India hit highest since May 2019

    LONDON, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Switzerland's monthly gold
exports to India in January reached their highest since May
2019, though exports to China and Hong Kong remained at rock
bottom, customs data showed on Thursday. 
    India and China are the world's two biggest gold consumers.
Demand for bullion plunged in both when the coronavirus struck
last year but has bounced back in India much more quickly.

    Switzerland is the world's biggest gold refining centre and
a transit hub.
    Following are numbers for January and comparisons. 
        
    SWISS TRADE DATA (KG)        
           EXPORT
   Jan-21      82,025
   Dec-20      76,549
   Jan-20      87,444
    
           To China  To Hong    To India   To the     To
                     Kong                  U.S.       Britain
   Jan-21         0         28     38,696     16,666      5,216
   Dec-20         0        263     34,500     14,496        265
   Jan-20    17,000     23,583      8,541        574      6,344
    * Source: Swiss customs. Data subject to revision by source.
    
    
    

    
 (Reporting by Peter Hobson
Editing by David Goodman
)