China's PBoC logs 22nd straight month of gold purchases; holdings hit record ~2,387 tonnes

China's central bank extended its gold-buying streak to 22 consecutive months, adding roughly 80 tonnes in 2026 and lifting official reserves to a record ~2,387 tonnes. Sustained, price-insensitive sovereign demand tightens the physical market and reinforces gold's role as a strategic reserve asset amid diversification away from traditional FX reserves. Near term, this raises sensitivity to further reserve data and may firm bullion risk premia.