Despite a challenging performance towards the end of last year, precious metals gained 11.71% over 2016, driven by economic volatility and political uncertainty in many regions of the world. With many of these issues expected to continue unfolding amidst the context of higher interest rates and a stronger dollar, the outlook in 2017 for precious metals – a market worth over $300 billion globally – remains complex. It is against this backdrop that the sixth annual edition of the Dubai Precious Metals Conference (DPMC) will take place on 9th – 10th April at the Address Hotel, Dubai Marina.

Hosted by DMCC, the authority on trade, enterprise and commodities in Dubai, the event will bring together miners, investors, engineers, asset managers and professional services representatives from across the precious metals sector to explore the industry’s most pertinent topics. Held under the theme of ‘Connecting Markets’, the discussions will focus on the new era of global trade and how shifting geopolitics will impact the trade flows of precious metals.

“2017 is likely to be an interesting year for precious metals, given shifting geopolitical sentiments. With Dubai as a leading hub for the gold and precious metals trade, DPMC provides key industry stakeholders a platform to connect and strengthen relationships across the value chain at a crucial time. DPMC has assembled a high calibre of panels and speakers who will provide unique insights into the market and stimulate discussions on how they can be best prepared to navigate the current business environment,” said Gautam Sashittal, CEO, DMCC.

The outlook for gold continues to be one of the most widely discussed topics in global markets today. With unexpected events and uncertainty propping up the price, while factors like interest rate hikes and a stronger dollar exerting downward pressure, experts at the event will assess how the precious metal will perform in 2017. Forecasts from the World Gold Council suggest that gold prices will rise due to growing demand from China and India – countries that accounted for more than half the global demand last year.

“By capitalising on the Emirate’s geographic position, sophisticated infrastructure, and best-in-class regulatory environment, DMCC has connected markets between the East and the West,” added Sashittal. “Indicative of the role it plays today, the gold trade through the Emirate was valued at $31.6 billion at the end of the first three quarters of 2016, making it the second biggest contributor to Dubai’s non-oil foreign trade. We look forward to continuing to work collectively with the industry to support the growth of this sector, and strongly believe that the events like DPMC go a long way towards this goal.”

For more details on the event and to view the conference agenda, please visit: http://www.dpmc.ae/.