Dutch central bank moves gold reserves to London for crisis preparedness

The Dutch central bank has moved about 86 metric tons of gold from storage in New York and Ottawa to London, saying the change is meant to improve its ability to respond in a severe crisis. The bank said gold held at the Bank of England is easier to trade quickly and meets international standards, while bullion stored in the U.S. and Canada would be less usable in an emergency. The transfer comes as geopolitical tensions remain elevated and gold prices have risen sharply over the past year. The Dutch move follows a similar decision by the French central bank, which recently replaced gold held in New York with bullion stored in Europe.