Local media reported that Wellmei US Inc will hire 71 skilled workers for the plant in Troy, which is the company's first North American manufacturing operation.

First used on a 10-pack Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum, priced at 67 cents at a supermarket in Troy, Ohio, the United States, in 1974, the GS1 bar codes have transformed the retail industry, with stores being able to track their inventories more easily and accurately.

The People's Bank of China, the central bank, also joined several central banks last month in accelerating gold buying, which hit its highest level in a year, by value, at $79.32 billion, or 59.94 million troy ounces in terms of volume, according to official data.

The gold reserves volume increased to 59.56 million fine troy ounces in December, the first rise since October 2016.