YEREVAN, May 13. /ARKA/.  Gold transactions of Armenia’s commercial banks (“precious metal” deposits, standardized precious metal bars and commemorative coins) totalled 2,380.4 million drams in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 55.9% against the same period of 2012.

An analysis by ARKA showed that Ameriabank is the leader in volume of precious metal transactions as of the end of the first quarter: its gold transactions constituted about 51.76% of the overall volume of such transactions by Armenia’s commercial banks. Ameriabank’s gold transactions amounted to a total of 1,232.2 million drams by the end of March 2013, almost the double of the volume recorded in Q1 2012.

The next four banks with largest volume of gold transactions are Armswissbank (516.7mln drams, 30.2% increase, with a 21.71% share in overall volume of gold transactions), Armbusinessbank (195.5mln drams, no gold transactions in Q1 2012, share in overall volume 8.22%), Conversebank 158.4mln drams, 11.3% reduction, the share - 6.65%) and Unibank (87.1mln drams, 8% reduction, the share is 3.66%).

In general, out of 21 commercial banks operating in Armenia as of the end of the first quarter only 11 effected gold transactions. ($1=415.25drams).  –0--