What causes the surging gold prices we see? How can some commodities soar to staggeringly high prices when the fundamentals are in the negative? This year gold reached $1007 an ounce, the highest price of gold since March of 2008. This means gold has risen 12% since April.

But what causes this to happen? Certainly not the fundamentals, as you might have guessed. According to data gathered by the World Gold Council, demand for gold jewelry is down 22% and gold use in industrial processes is down 21% from 2008. Only financial speculation flourished in today’s gold market, as it saw a 46% increase earlier in the year.

Many people are attracted to this metal because it is considered to be a good hedge against inflation. However, the Labor Department listed statistics showing that the consumer price index actually fell 2.1% over the course of the year for gold. That is not inflation that is deflation. So what is this gold hedging against?

Because the Federal balance sheet is getting larger, the currency it is based on is losing it’s value. Deflation will only cause our currency to further lose it’s value, and inflation is not a pleasant option; it appears that either way things go, gold will benefit.

Another factor in support of gold is how low the current US interest rates are. The method by which banks charge other banks for loans, known as the London interbank dollar rate, has fallen 4.8% since October of last year to an unprecedented 0.314%. Because you do not earn interest by having gold, you have something known as an opportunity cost which you do not have with any other form of investment, such as bonds. However, given the current value of the dollar, the opportunity cost of having gold as opposed to bonds is insignificant.

All signs point to financial speculation being behind the surge in gold prices and nothing to do with the fundamentals. Gold prices are high and it is impossible to predict what will happen from here.

Are you looking for the price of gold for dummies? If you are, please visit my website Current Gold Prices.

categories: gold,investing,economy,politics,gold coins