[Analyst: Structural Bullish Factors for Gold Persist, Buying Interest Emerges After Price Plunge] According to Bloomberg, after gold experienced its largest sell-off in years, bargain hunters have started entering the market. As of Thursday's close, gold prices had fallen 19% from January's peak closing price, nearing the traditional 20% threshold that signals the start of a bear market. However, by Friday, buyers re-entered the market, pushing gold prices up by approximately 3%. George Efstathopoulos, a fund manager at Fidelity International, stated that once Middle East tensions subside, this correction presents a buying opportunity. Inflation risks, fiscal pressures, and bond credibility issues remain structural bullish factors for gold. Analysts also pointed out that the Iran conflict could potentially lead to central banks selling gold or at least slowing their purchasing pace. Daniel Ghali, a commodity strategist at TD Securities, believes that since central banks have been cornerstone buyers in this bull market, large-scale direct selling would have a more immediate impact on prices and a more disruptive effect on market sentiment. However, for now, the broader trend may be a stepwise slowdown in central bank gold purchases rather than a complete shift toward selling.