Paper gold market defaults loom ?

Central banks all but stop lending bullion

By Javier Blas in London

Published: October 7 2008 21:44 | Last updated: October 7 2008 21:44

Central banks have all but stopped lending gold to commercial and investment banks and other participants in the precious metals market, in a move that on Tuesday sent the cost of borrowing bullion for one-month to more than twenty times its usual level.

The one-month gold lease rate rocketed to 2.649 per cent, its highest level since May 2001 and significantly above its five-year average of 0.12 per cent, according to data from the London Bullion Market Association. ..... more

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