With just one month left in the year, Shanghai has withdrawn close to 2,200 tons (28 tons just this last Friday). If you take Chinese and Russian supply out of the equation as they do not export, total global production of gold is roughly 2,400 tons. Shanghai/China have been purchasing nearly all global production of gold over the past several years. This does not account for Indian demand which has historically been another 1,000 tons per year or thereabouts. Nor does it account for the rest of global demand which has been brisk from Europe, the U.S. and elsewhere. Where exactly is/has this excess demand being met with supply? From where is this gold coming from? The obvious answer, and one of common logic says it can only be coming from where it exists (existed), Western vaults!