Gold rate today in Shanghai (CNY)

Today's gold price in Shanghai

At the last update, one gram of 24k gold in Shanghai works out to about 861.39 CNY, and a gram of 22k to about 789.64 CNY. Per 10 grams, a common size for small bars and rate boards, that is about 8,613.91 CNY for 24k. These are spot-based figures, before any tax, premium or making charge. Shanghai is home to the Shanghai Gold Exchange, whose yuan benchmark is set twice a day and often trades at a premium or discount to the converted London price.

What moves the gold price in Shanghai

Two numbers set the gold price in Shanghai: the international price in US dollars, about $4,007.9 per ounce at the last update, and the USD/CNY exchange rate, now 6.6849. The yuan is managed by the People's Bank of China around a daily fixing, so it moves in a narrow band. Local prices can still drift from the converted international price because imports need approval, and the gap between Shanghai and London prices, the 'Shanghai premium', widens when Chinese demand is strong.

The dollar price itself responds to US interest-rate expectations, the strength of the dollar, inflation data, central-bank buying and geopolitical risk. Our guide to what moves gold prices covers each in turn.

Premiums, making charges and tax in Shanghai

The shelf price in Shanghai is higher than the converted figure above. A shop adds VAT and consumption tax on jewellery where they apply, a per-gram workmanship fee and the store's margin. On jewellery, making charges are quoted as a fee per gram (gongfei) or per piece on top of the day's gold price, so two pieces of the same weight and purity can carry very different prices. Most retail jewellery is 'zu jin' pure gold (999 or higher); 18k (K-gold) is sold for gem-set and fashion pieces.

Where gold is bought in Shanghai

Nanjing Road and the area around Yuyuan Garden have flagship jewellery stores, and banks sell bars and accumulation plans. When comparing shops, ask for the gold rate per gram, the purity, the making charge and the buy-back price separately; that is the only way to see which offer is really cheaper.

Buying seasons in Shanghai

Chinese New Year, the October Golden Week and weddings are peak seasons, and young buyers have embraced small gold beans and bars. Across China, demand is strongest around Chinese New Year, the October Golden Week, Qixi and the wedding season. Seasonal demand tends to show up in shop premiums, promotions and queues rather than in the international price, which is set by global flows. Knowing the calendar helps explain why a local quote can look expensive or cheap against this page in a given week.

Gold market hours in Shanghai

The international gold market trades almost around the clock on weekdays. In Shanghai the London–New York overlap, usually the busiest and most volatile part of the day, runs today from about 20:00–00:00 local time. The two LBMA Gold Price auctions in London, at 10:30 and 15:00 London time, fall at 17:30 and 22:00 in Shanghai, and major US data released at 08:30 New York time, such as payrolls and inflation, lands at 20:30 local time. The week's trading closes at 05:00 on Saturday and reopens at 07:00 on Monday, Shanghai time; over the weekend the price on this page is the last close. The Shanghai Gold Exchange publishes the Shanghai Gold Benchmark Price in yuan twice a day, and gold futures trade on the Shanghai Futures Exchange with day and night sessions. Our gold market hours tool shows the sessions in any time zone.

Shanghai compared with Beijing

Shanghai and Beijing both price gold in CNY off the same international price and the same exchange rate, so the converted figure is identical: about 861.39 CNY per gram of 24k in both. Any difference at the counter comes from making charges, dealer premiums and how hard the shops compete.

How this CNY gold price is calculated

Three numbers decide everything on this page. First, the international gold price in US dollars per troy ounce: $4,007.9 at the last update. Second, the exchange rate: 1 USD = 6.6849 CNY. Third, the weight: one troy ounce is 31.1035 grams, and one tola is 11.6638 grams.

1. Price per gram in USD = $4,007.9 ÷ 31.1035 = $128.86.
2. Price per gram in CNY = $128.86 × 6.6849 = 861.39 CNY (24k, pure gold).
3. Price per 10 grams = 861.39 × 10 = 8,613.91 CNY.
4. For a lower purity, multiply by the fineness: 22k = 0.9167, 21k = 0.875, 18k = 0.750.

The gold price comes from COMEX gold futures, which track spot XAUUSD closely but are not identical to it. The exchange rate is a mid-market rate; the rate your bank or money changer gives you will be slightly different. If you want to do the maths yourself, our guide to converting the gold price per gram, tola and kilo walks through every step with worked examples.

What this price does not include

The figures above are the international spot price converted into local currency. They are the starting point for every retail price in Shanghai, but they are not the price you will pay or receive at a shop. The retail or "jeweller" price adds some or all of these on top:

• Import duty or customs charges, where the country imports most of its gold.
• Sales tax, GST or VAT, which may apply to jewellery, to bars and coins, or to both, depending on local law.
• Dealer premium: the margin a bullion dealer or bank adds to the spot price for bars and coins, usually larger on small pieces.
• Making charges (labour) on jewellery, often a percentage of the gold value or a fixed amount per gram.
• Local supply and demand, which can push the physical price to a premium or a discount against the international price for weeks at a time.

When you sell, the buyer usually quotes below the spot-based number and deducts for purity testing, wear and sometimes stones. The gap between the buying and the selling price is the real cost of owning physical gold, and it varies a lot between shops, so it is worth asking several.

Frequently asked questions