"It does make a major relief on his cash problems, " Barclays Stockbrokers' Hillary Cook told BBC World Business Report.

BBC: NEWS | Business | Vivendi sells US media empire

Robert Pringle of the World Gold Council told the BBC's World Business Report that the new sales threshold would help stabilise the market for the yellow metal.

BBC: NEWS | Business | Central banks set gold sale limit

"Some delegations will want to minimise the number of people attending, " David Woods of the newsletter World Trade Agenda in Geneva, told the BBC's World Business Report.

BBC: WTO meeting to go ahead