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Egyptians bewitched by new gold investment trend

Egyptians are buying gold coins and bars as global prices shoot up amid the coronavirus pandemic.
A royal crown is displayed during the official reopening of the Royal Jewelry Museum in Alexandria on October 19, 2014. The museum in Alexandria reopened on October 19, after a three-year closure due to security reason. AFP PHOTO / TAREK ABDEL HAMID        (Photo credit should read TAREK ABDEL HAMID/AFP via Getty Images)

Global jitters triggered by the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic are bewitching Egyptians into a new gold investment trend. As gold prices shoot up all over the world, demand for the precious metal is picking up in Egypt, where the man in the street is switching to gold bars and coins rather than traditional jewelry to make snappy gains.

“Demand — especially from individuals — for gold bars and coins is rising significantly. This is a new phenomenon in Egypt. Many people are interested in gold coins, which are 21 karat weighing 8 grams each,” Ahmed Abdelaal, chairman of Abdelaal Jewelry Co., told Al-Monitor.

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