The spot price is the current wholesale price for gold, silver or platinum for immediate delivery, quoted per troy ounce, usually in US dollars. Retail products in Singapore are priced from it, plus a premium.
Where the spot price comes from
There is no single exchange that sets the spot price. It comes from continuous trading between banks and dealers in the over-the-counter market centred on London, together with futures markets such as COMEX in New York and trading in Shanghai. Price feeds combine the latest quotes into a figure that moves every few seconds while markets are open, almost 24 hours a day on weekdays.
Twice a day, at 10:30 and 15:00 London time, the LBMA Gold Price is set in an auction. It is a benchmark used for contracts and valuations rather than a live price. LBMA also publishes it in sixteen other currencies, including Singapore dollars, as indicative prices.
How spot becomes a price in Singapore dollars
Spot is quoted in US dollars per troy ounce. To get the SGD figure, multiply by the USD/SGD exchange rate. That means the price of gold in Singapore can move even when the dollar price stands still, simply because the Singapore dollar strengthened or weakened. To convert to grams, divide the per-ounce price by 31.1035. Our gold price chart in SGD and the silver price per gram do this for you.
Example: the metal value of a 100 g bar
A 100 g bar of 999.9 gold contains 99.99 g of fine gold, or 3.2148 troy ounces. Its metal value is 3.2148 x the spot price per ounce in SGD. Whatever you pay above that figure is the premium.
Why you cannot buy at spot
Spot is the price for large wholesale lots, typically Good Delivery bars of around 400 ounces of gold traded between institutions. A retail buyer in Singapore pays more because the metal has to be refined into small bars or minted into coins, shipped, insured, stored and sold with a margin. Small items carry a higher premium per gram than large ones.
The reverse also applies: when you sell, dealers usually pay below spot, and the difference between the two prices is the bid-ask spread.
- Buying: spot + premium (+ 9% GST if the item is not IPM)
- Selling: spot minus the dealer's discount
Use spot as a yardstick. A quote far above spot for a common coin is a sign to compare with other dealers.
Related terms
Premium over Spot LBMA Good Delivery Bid-Ask Spread Troy Ounce
FAQ
What is the gold spot price in Singapore?
It is the international spot price per troy ounce converted into Singapore dollars at the current exchange rate, and it changes continuously while markets are open.
Can I buy gold at spot price in Singapore?
No. Retail bars and coins always cost more than spot because of refining, minting, shipping, insurance and dealer margin.
Why does the SGD gold price change when the USD price is flat?
Gold is priced in US dollars, so a move in the USD/SGD exchange rate changes the price in Singapore dollars even if the dollar price does not move.