Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers (VBJ Since 1900), India’s most trusted heirloom jewellery brand joined hands with Ignition presented by Shiv Nadar foundation, Chennai edition, a stage that united young professionals, like-minded individuals from varied disciplines. Ignition is a platform created and curated by the award-winning journalist Shoma Chaudhury under the umbrella of her company Lucid Lines Productions, to deepen public discourse. The event took place at ITC Grand Chola and was attended by over 500 powerful voices from the city.

Speaking about the association, Amarendran Vummidi, Managing Partner, VBJ Since 1900, said, “We are proud to be associated with Ignition presented by Shiv Nadar foundation, Chennai edition as we share similar principles and ideologies. Ignition presented by Shiv Nadar foundation, Chennai edition celebrates accomplishments and encourages younger generation. These healthy conversations truly ignite the minds and promotes diverse thinking amongst the youth. As a 125-year-old brand, we have the responsibility towards the society, and this is one small step towards that direction.” 

Adding a rich cultural layer to this event, VBJ Since 1900 showcased a curated selection of its heritage and contemporary jewellery through a specially designed display panel at the venue. 

Hosted by veteran journalist, Shoma Chaudhury, the event brought together India’s most influential minds — Sanjaya Baru (Policy Analyst and Author), Dr. Ambrish Mithal (Padma Bhushan awardee), D.P. Srivastava (former Ambassador to Iran), Kabir Taneja (Strategic Affairs Expert), and Wellness Advisor Richa Gangani offered a compelling exchange of ideas.

In May 2025, Hong Kong witnessed a nuanced retail landscape: while total retail sales rebounded modestly, rising 2.4% year on year to HKD 31.32 billion ($3.99 billion), sales of luxury goods—specifically jewelry, watches, clocks, and other valuable gifts—contracted by 3.2% to HKD 3.87 billion ($493.1 million). This divergence offers critical insights into the shifting dynamics of consumer behavior, external macroeconomic pressures, and sector-specific challenges.

Several interrelated factors contributed to the luxury segment’s decline. First, surging gold prices significantly dampened consumer appetite for jewelry purchases, as higher costs discouraged discretionary spending on big-ticket items. Second, demand for luxury products on the Chinese mainland softened, reducing the influx of high-spending tourists traditionally pivotal to Hong Kong’s retail sector. Lastly, increased outbound tourism encouraged local consumers to shop abroad, further eroding domestic sales.

From January to May 2025, hard-luxury sales dropped by 9% to HKD 20.27 billion ($2.58 billion), while overall retail sales fell 4% to HKD 155.05 billion ($19.75 billion). These figures highlight a broader recalibration within Hong Kong’s retail environment, reflecting evolving consumer preferences and economic headwinds.

Central banks have accumulated over 1,000t of gold in each of the last three years, up significantly from the 400-500t average over the preceding decade. This marked acceleration in the pace of accumulation has occurred against a backdrop of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, which has clouded the outlook for reserve managers and investors alike.

2025 Central Bank Gold Reserves (CBGR) survey, conducted between 25 February and 20 May, helps us shine a light on the continued importance of gold reserve management in these challenging times. This year we set a new benchmark, drawing in 73 responses – the highest since our survey commenced eight years ago.

Key highlights

• Similar to findings from previous surveys, central banks continue to hold favourable expectations on gold. Respondents overwhelmingly (95%) believe that global central bank gold reserves will increase over the next 12 months. 
• This year, a record 43% of respondents believe that their own gold reserves will also increase over the same period. Interestingly, none of our respondents anticipate a decline in their gold reserves.
• Gold’s performance during times of crisis, portfolio diversification and inflation hedging are some key themes driving plans to accumulate more gold over the coming year. In addition, gold’s unique characteristics and role as a strategic asset continue to be valued by central banks: its performance in times of crisis, ability to act as a store of value, and its role as an effective diversifier, continue to be cited as key reasons for an allocation to gold.
• The majority of respondents (73%) see moderate or significantly lower US dollar holdings within global reserves over the next five years. Respondents also believe that the share of other currencies, such as the euro and renminbi, as well as gold, will increase over the same period.
• The survey highlighted an uptick in respondents who actively manage their gold reserves, from 37% in 2024 to 44% in 2025. While enhancing returns remained the primary reason for this, risk management leapfrogged tactical trading as the second most selected reason.
• The Bank of England remains the most popular vaulting location for gold reserves amongst respondents (64%); a significantly higher percentage of respondents reported some domestic storage of gold reserves this year than they did last year (59% in 2025 vs 41% in 2024). Just 7% of respondents indicated that they plan to increase domestic storage of gold reserves over the next 12 months.