The London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) is weighing a shift in its daily gold auction schedule. Currently held in the early London morning, the exchange is evaluating an earlier slot that would line up more closely with business hours in key Asian markets. Adjusting the timing could smooth order flow for firms that trade the metal around the clock.

Traders in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo have complained the current timetable forces them to react to London price signals after their markets close, creating latency and pricing gaps. An earlier auction would let Asian traders bid before the London fix, tightening spreads and curbing arbitrage that has risen in recent months.

Market makers and bullion banks watch the proposal closely, knowing any timing tweak could shift price discovery dynamics across the global supply chain. A move that favours Asian hours may attract higher participation from that region, boosting liquidity in the LBMA’s benchmark auction. Conversely, European participants could see reduced influence, prompting a re‑balancing of trading strategies as the metal’s reference price adapts. Stakeholders will gauge the change during the next quarterly review.