[World Gold Council: Gold purchases by global central banks in the third quarter hit a single-quarter high in the past two years] On November 3, reporters learned from the World Gold Council that total global gold demand in the third quarter was 1,369 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 1%. In the third quarter, the gold reserves of central banks and other official institutions increased by 321 tons, a year-on-year increase of 42%, setting a new single-quarter high since the fourth quarter of 2024. Reserve diversification and risk management remain the core drivers of central bank gold purchases. Since the beginning of 2026, central banks of various countries have purchased a total of 675 tons of gold, an increase of 6% compared with the same period last year. (Reporter Cao Yunyi)