Mutual funds and other vehicles that purport to help investors fight inflation are the most popular new investment strategy being adopted by corporate retirement plans, according to a new survey released on Thursday.
Gold prices rallied more than 2 percent to a record highs on Friday as investors sought refuge from a second day of hefty losses on the stock markets, hurt by deepening concerns over slowing economic growth and the outlook for euro zone banks.
World equities rose on Wednesday, lifted by strong outlooks and results from U.S. retailers, while crude oil gained on a larger-than-expected decline in U.S. gasoline supplies.
Barclays Capital is forecasting the price of gold to exceed $2,000 per ounce next year as sovereign debt risks intensify, broad investment demand accelerates and central bank buying of the yellow increases.
The largest gold fund players including hedge fund titan John Paulson stuck with their bullion bets in the second quarter, opting not to follow George Soros who further reduced his gold ETF holdings.
Gold prices rose on Tuesday as concerns over the financial health of the euro zone resurfaced ahead of a summit in Paris between French and German leaders, at which they will try to thrash out a solution to the bloc's debt crisis.
Spot gold held onto gains made in the previous session on Tuesday, but hopes that a Franco-German summit will make progress to help quell the region's sovereign debt crisis are expected to keep a lid on prices.
Gold prices eased for a third session on Monday as stock markets and cyclical assets such as industrial commodities continued to recover from a rout they suffered early last week, diverting investment away from the precious metal.
Newcrest Mining , the world's No.3 gold miner, plans to focus on expanding in Asia, where it will spend A$9 billion ($9.3 billion) to boost its gold output by 50 percent over the next five years.
With recession fears weighing on equity markets, resource investors would do well to steer clear of speculative Canadian mining plays and put their cash into producing miners with strong balance sheets.
San Gold Corp's quarterly loss nearly halved helped by higher production and soaring bullion prices.
Gold prices eased for a third session on Monday as stock markets and cyclical assets such as industrial commodities continued to recover from a rout they suffered early last week, diverting investment away from the precious metal.
The continuing sovereign debt crisis in the eurozone and S&P?s downgrade of the U.S. credit rating have increased the safe haven demand for gold and the prices have reached new highs. But investors remain skeptical whether there could be further rally in the price.
Gold dropped 1.5 percent on Friday, falling further from the previous session's record highs, as a rise in appetite for riskier assets prompted profit-taking from bullion's sharp safe-haven rally this week.
South Africa's rand steadied against the dollar on Friday but faced further losses after a turbulent week in which it hit its weakest levels in more than a year as investors spooked by debt woes in the U.S. and Europe fled to safer havens like the yen.
Gold prices fell on Friday, extending the previous session's retreat from record highs as fresh strength in equity markets and gains in the euro versus the safe-haven Swiss franc pointed to sharper appetite for risk.
Handing out flyers at the corner of 47th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City's Diamond District, Mariabi Peenya is having trouble finding passersby eager to sell their gold jewelry for cash.
A surge in prices to all-time highs has galvanized the French retail gold market, for long a dusty corner beloved of coin investors, drawing in ordinary punters but also the unwelcome attention of armed robbers.
Gold prices eased in Europe on Friday, extending the previous session's retreat from record highs, as fresh strength in equity markets and gains in the euro versus the safe-haven Swiss franc pointed to sharper appetite for risk.
Spot gold reversed early losses, putting it back on track for its best week since January 2009 as worries about the euro zone debt crisis and global growth drive investors to safe havens.
Asian stocks edged up on Friday, as investors hunted for value after an intense week of volatility, though the festering European financial crisis may mean that havens like gold and the Swiss franc may still draw buyers.
Gold, and only gold, will be our salvation when the value of companies, banks, countries and even money itself melts away. Gold, not shifting currencies, is the foundation of wealth and security. Gold is back, for good.
