China’s silver imports surged to a record 836 tons in March, far above the 10-year average of about 306 tons, driven by strong retail investment and robust demand from the solar sector. Investors turned to silver bars as a cheaper alternative to gold, while manufacturers front-loaded production ahead of tax rebate changes. Elevated domestic prices created arbitrage opportunities, drawing global inflows via Hong Kong. However, analysts expect imports to normalize, citing no long-term supply-deman

China’s silver imports surged to a record 836 tons in March, far above the 10-year average of about 306 tons, driven by strong retail investment and robust demand from the solar sector. Investors turned to silver bars as a cheaper alternative to gold, while manufacturers front-loaded production ahead of tax rebate changes. Elevated domestic prices created arbitrage opportunities, drawing global inflows via Hong Kong. However, analysts expect imports to normalize, citing no long-term supply-demand imbalance.