Kazakhstan has increased gold reserves in January by 1% to 193.5 tonnes

Almaty. February 24. Silkroadnews - Kazakhstan in January 2015 compared with the previous month increased its gold reserves by 0.9% to 193.5 tonnes, reported the Bloomberg.
According to the International Monetary Fund Kazakhstan increased its gold reserves 28 consecutive month, while Ukraine has declared an increase for the first time since August.
"Kazakhstan has increased reserves to 193.5 tons in January from 191.8 tons a month earlier, while the reserves of Ukraine increased to 23.9 tons from 23.6 tons, reported the IMF. Russia reduced reserves to 1 207.7 tonnes from 208.2 in 9 months", - says the publication.
Central banks have increased gold reserves over the last five years, after two decades of sales at the end of the 1980s. Governments purchased 477 tons in 2014 - it was the second largest increase in 50 years. This year expected the purchase of at least 400 tons, informed London global gold council.
"We are observing a slight increase in the trend of central banks to hold gold", - said analyst of UBS Group AG in Singapore Wayne Gordon. "Purchase of precious metals by central banks is a strategy of risk aversion", -  he said by telephone.
According to the IMF, the reserves of the euro zone rose to 10 791.5 tonnes in the last month compared to 10 784.1 tonnes in December against 10,787 tonnes a year earlier.
In January gold prices rose by 8.4% in London, after politics in Europe and Asia signaled a growing incentive to fight the economic slowdown, while investors believe that Greece will be forced to withdraw from the euro zone. Precious metals were trading at $1 203.56 per ounce on Tuesday, which is 37% below the record set in 2011.
Gold reserves of Kazakhstan grew by 33% over the past 12 months and more than doubled in the last three years. Ukrainian assets fell in November to its lowest level since 2005, as its foreign exchange reserves and the hryvnia fell against the backdrop of the conflict in the eastern region.
Russia, the fifth-largest holder of gold, replenish its reserves in connection with international sanctions over Ukraine and the fall in oil prices, which led to the collapse of the ruble. Russia bought, at least 18 tons per month from September, increasing its share more than three times since 2005.