Gold vs Inflation

Since the Russia-Ukraine invasion, Gold experienced a magnificent roller coaster ride, and we witnessed a wave of physical gold holders selling their yellow metal to cash out at another historical high price of nearing US$2,040/oz. At the same time, investors and retail sales were outweighed by a jump in demand, led by a surge in new first-time buyers as prices hit new or near all-time highs against the world’s major currencies amid worsening inflation and Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine.

As global economics battle with the after tremors of Covid-19 in the form of inflation, Singapore’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 4.3% in February 2022 from 4.0% in the previous two months. As inflation runs rampant, what does that mean for us? Soaring prices for food, transport services, fuel, groceries, literally everything is pricier.

On the ground, we are witnessing an influx of buyers with the intent to hedge using both gold and silver bars. Interestingly, even with various agendas behind the buying spree, most buyers concurred that physical hedging is essential in times like this.

Do you think that gold is going to go up indefinitely? Probably not. You hold an asset in your portfolio as ballast, as downside protection. It doesn’t pay any dividends, much like bitcoin. You are not holding it for its lack of volatility through time.

Gold is said to stand for many things, and some widely misunderstand it as an actual store of value: protection of wealth. Its price can be argued as many things, but what it could stand for:  an insurance policy. How much exactly are you insured in your portfolio?

Mindy