THE YEAR 2020 HASN’T FELT LIKE THE
Golden age of anything, except maybe for gold itself. Early August saw the shiny yellow stuff hit an all-time high of more than $2,000 an ounce. Prices have fallen back since then, but it has still been an excellent year for gold investors so far: The price of the metal has risen by 27.5% in 2020, compared with a 21.8% total return for the Nasdaq Composite stock index and a 4.8% total return for the S&P 500. Even longtime gold detractor Warren Buffett recently purchased stock in a gold mining company. (Prices and returns are through September 11.)
Gold’s glow-up has come even though it produces no earnings or income in the form of dividends, as would a stock. Unlike the case with other commodities, such as copper and tungsten, gold’s prices don’t rise and fall along with industrial demand.
So, why the gold rush? For one thing, basement-low interest rates mean that many bond investors currently earn yields lower than the rate of inflation. In such a climate, gold’s lack of yield is much less of a drawback, says Doug Ramsey, chief investment officer at the Leuthold Group. “Any competition gold had from fixed income has vanished,” he says.
Also contributing to gold’s rise: the Fed’s decision to flood the U.S. economy with unprecedented amounts of stimulus money in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gold is a classic inflation hedge, and investors have snapped up the metal on the premise that the stimulus will eventually drive up prices if the influx of cash causes consumer demand to rise faster than the supply of goods and services.
Esta historia es de la edición November 2020 de Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 2020 de Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
FREE HELP FOR COLLEGEBOUND STUDENTS
This program’s mentors assist applicants as they fill out the FAFSA, write essays and more.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SPOUSAL IRAS
You typically need earned income to contribute to an individual retirement account, but a spousal IRA provides an important exception to this rule.
SELLING SHARES? HERE'S HOW TO MINIMIZE TAXES ON YOUR GAINS
ET'S say you've been regularly buying shares in a booming tech company over the past few years, but now you want to start taking some of those profits, perhaps to rebalance your portfolio.
Strategies for Novice Investors
AS part of a lifes kills program for young, single mothers, I was asked to teach a class on how to get on top of your finances.
ANSWERS TO YOUR 529 PLAN QUESTIONS
Thanks to recent policy changes, families have more options for what to do with money sitting in these tax-advantaged accounts.
Rate-Cut Winners and Losers
NOW that the Federal Reserve has cracked the interest rate ice, the next development will be to separate winners from losers.
SHOULD YOU BUY THESE RED-HOT FUNDS?
Covered-call ETFs are popular but come with plenty of caveats.
DIVIDEND STOCKS ARE READY TO REBOUND
Our favorite dividend payers are poised to benefit as falling interest rates lure investors back.
IS A 55+ COMMUNITY RIGHT FOR YOU?
These age-restricted developments appeal to older adults seeking abundant amenities and an active lifestyle.
AT LONG LAST, RATES ARE DROPPING
Consider these portfolio moves now that the Federal Reserve has cut its benchmark interest rate.