CommoditiesMedium•4 November 2026•
1 min read
Bank of Russia Sells 18.66 Tonnes of Gold in Q3 to Fund Budget Deficit
Key Facts
1The Bank of Russia sold 18.66 metric tons of gold during Q3 2026 to cover a record wartime budget deficit.
2The Russian central bank has been selling gold for 10 consecutive months, marking the second straight quarter of sales.
The Bank of Russia sold 18.66 metric tons of gold during the third quarter of 2026 to cover a record wartime budget deficit. UNITED24 Media reported that the central bank has been selling gold for 10 consecutive months, marking the second straight quarter of reserve liquidations.
Moscow is utilizing its gold reserves to address mounting fiscal pressures as the federal budget remains under strain. Recent economic data shows Russia's unemployment rate stood at 2.2% on October 28, 2026, while the Manufacturing PMI was recorded at 49.9 on November 2, 2026, slightly below the threshold that separates expansion from contraction.