Gold’s diverse uses – in jewelry, technology and by central banks and investors – mean different sectors of the gold market rise to prominence at different points in the global economic cycle. This diversity of gold demand and the self-balancing nature of the gold market underpin gold’s robust qualities as an investment asset. The Global Financial Crisis coincided with a significant shift Eastwards in demand for gold. This was driven not only by cultural affinity but also by wealth creation and income growth in some of the world’s most dynamic and rapidly growing economies.