In hard times, “I buy gold” is Italy’s boom business

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“Since I was a child I remember that gold was given as a gift on various occasions and people used to say: ‘Put it aside’,” said Ivana Ciabatti, who represents gold– and silversmiths at employers’ lobby Confindustria.

“We used to laugh at it, but they turned out to be right. Many families are surviving thanks to this gold.”