European Cenral Banks Agree To Limit Gold Sales

LONDON -- The European Central Bank, the euro zone's 16 national central banks, the Swedish Riksbank and the Swiss National Bank on Friday released a joint statement announcing a new agreement to limit gold sales over the next five years. Under the plan, annual sales will not exceed 400 tons and total sales over the five-year period, which begins Sept. 27, will not exceed 2,000 tons. "Gold remains an important element of global monetary reserves," the banks said. The central banks also said the International Monetary Fund's intention to sell 403 tons of gold "can be accommodated" under the agreement.

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