The　activity　and　stability　of　Au/Fe2O3-MO　x　catalysts　(M　=　Zr,　Mg,　Ca,　Ni,　La,　Cu,　Zn,　Al,　Ba,　Cr,　Co,　Ce,　Mo,　Bi,　Ti,　Mn)　in　water-gas　shift　reaction　were　investigated　extensively.　The　WGS　activity　and　stability　of　Au/Fe2O3　is　improved　significantly　upon　addition　of　ZrO2　and　to　a　lesser　extend　MgO,　CaO,　NiO,　La2O3,　Cr2O3,　CuO.　In　contrast,　Bi,　Ti　and　Mn　oxides　seriously　decrease　the　catalytic　activity　while　additions　of　Zn,　Al,　Ba,　Co,　Ce　and　Mo　oxides　do　not　influence　evidently　the　catalytic　activity　and　its　stability.　Based　on　the　characterization　using　the　methods　of　BET-surface　area　and　pore　structure　XRF,　XRD,　and　H2-TPR　for　some　of　as-prepared　and　spent　samples,　it　could　be　concluded　that　the　catalytic　activity　of　gold　catalysts　supported　on　composite　oxide　of　Fe2O　3-MO　x　depends　not　only　on　the　dispersion　of　the　gold　particles　but　also　on　the　reduction　property　of　composite　oxide　supports,　regardless　of　the　fluctuation　of　gold　loading　and　some　change　of　specific　surface　area　and　pore　structure　due　to　introduction　of　the　modifying　metal　oxides.　The　improvement　of　catalytic　stability　may　be　attributed　to　the　comparative　stabilization　of　high　dispersion　of　gold　particles　and　uneasily　sintering　of　Fe3O4　crystallites　during　the　catalytic　operation.　However,　the　chemical　(electronic)　effects　exerted　by　the　modifying　addition　of　metal　oxides　on　the　catalytic　performance　of　gold　catalyst　may　not　be　ruled　out.　©　2005　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　Inc.