Venezuela Is Selling Off Gold Reserves as Bond Payments Loom

The value of the central bank’s bullion holdings fell 28 percent at the end of May from a year earlier, while the spot price for the metal declined just 12 percent. The figures, while reflecting transactions that took place five months ago, underscore the efforts the government is taking to raise the cash to repay creditors and fund imports amid a punishing recession, inflation exceeding 100 percent and a collapse in the price of its main export, oil.

Venezuela Is Selling Off Gold Reserves as Bond Payments Loom