Nearly 1,000 flagship gold stores closed in the first quarter

The price per gram of gold jewelry has retraced from a high of 1,700 yuan/gram in January 2026. As of May 16, it has fallen by 300 yuan within the year. If investors purchased gold at the beginning of the year at a high price using 300,000 yuan, the current unrealized loss has exceeded 50,000 yuan. According to incomplete statistics, in the first quarter of 2026, major listed companies’ gold brand stores sharply decreased, and each gold jewelry brand actively downsized inefficient franchise locations. Just among leading brands alone, nearly 1,000 stores were closed in the first quarter. Lao Pu Gold, Chow Sang Sang, and others are also optimizing their presence, and the industry is undergoing a comprehensive elimination round.