Why Gold Matters
While economic recessions usually draw many comparisons to The Great Depression,
so far there has been little (if any) historical precedent to the
monetary and fiscal stimulative policies that our country embraced in
the fall of 2008. For many investors, gold has never been seriously
considered as a long-term investment. (To learn about the factors that
led to the Great Depression, see What Caused The Great Depression?)
The Great Recession of 2008 is set to have profound effects on our economic system for decades to come. This was also seen after the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, when gold prices soared as Britain's economic future was deemed highly uncertain.
The main problem with gold is that, unlike other commodities, it does not get used up. Once gold is mined, it stays with you. A barrel of oil is turned into gas and other products that are expended and grains are consumed. Gold on the other hand is turned into jewelry, used in art, stored in vaults, or a variety of other uses. Regardless of its final destination, gold's chemical composition is such that it cannot be used up.
Because of this, the supply demand argument that can be made for commodities like oil, copper, grains, and so forth doesn't hold up for gold.
And that power has never really disappeared. The U.S. monetary system was based on a gold standard until the 1970s. Proponents of the gold standard argue that this monetary system effectively controls the expansion of credit and enforces discipline on lending standards since the amount of credit created is linked to a physical supply of gold. It's hard to argue with that line of thinking after nearly three decades of a credit explosion in the U.S. led to the financial meltdown in the fall of 2008.
From a fundamental perspective, gold is generally viewed as a favorable hedge against inflation. Gold functions as a good store of value against a declining currency.
Of course, there are other issues to consider with gold mining stocks, namely political risk (since many operate in third world countries), and maintaining gold production levels.
The most common way to invest in physical gold is through the SPDR's Gold Shares (NYSE:GLD) ETF, which simply holds gold. When investing in ETFs, pay attention to net asset value (NAV) as sometimes the purchase can exceed NAV by a wide margin, especially when folks are optimistic.
Gold mining companies include Barrick Gold (NYSE:ABX), Newmont Mining (NYSE:NEM), Goldcorp (NYSE:GG), and Anglogold Ashanti (NYSE:AU). Passive investors who want great exposure to the gold miners may consider the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:GDX) which includes investments in all the major miners. (See also: Top 5 Gold ETFs for 2017)
The Gold Conundrum
The topic of investing in gold came to the forefront of many investors' minds during the 2008-2009 recession. The most obvious reason for this was due to the rise in the price of gold. Market watchers love to sensationalize any stock or asset class that is experiencing a rise in price as the next possible investment to latch on to. Yet the rise in the price of gold happened largely due to people buying physical gold or betting on the metal through various investment options, such as ETFs or gold miner stocks.The Great Recession of 2008 is set to have profound effects on our economic system for decades to come. This was also seen after the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, when gold prices soared as Britain's economic future was deemed highly uncertain.
Problems with Gold as an Investment
Before jumping on the gold bandwagon, first examine reasons why investing in gold holds fundamental problems.The main problem with gold is that, unlike other commodities, it does not get used up. Once gold is mined, it stays with you. A barrel of oil is turned into gas and other products that are expended and grains are consumed. Gold on the other hand is turned into jewelry, used in art, stored in vaults, or a variety of other uses. Regardless of its final destination, gold's chemical composition is such that it cannot be used up.
Because of this, the supply demand argument that can be made for commodities like oil, copper, grains, and so forth doesn't hold up for gold.
History Overcomes This Problem
However, unlike other commodities, gold has been the facination of human societies since the beginning of time. Empires and kingdoms were built and destroyed over gold. As societies developed, gold was universally accepted as a satisfactory form of payment. In short, history has given gold a power unlike any other commodity on the planet.And that power has never really disappeared. The U.S. monetary system was based on a gold standard until the 1970s. Proponents of the gold standard argue that this monetary system effectively controls the expansion of credit and enforces discipline on lending standards since the amount of credit created is linked to a physical supply of gold. It's hard to argue with that line of thinking after nearly three decades of a credit explosion in the U.S. led to the financial meltdown in the fall of 2008.
From a fundamental perspective, gold is generally viewed as a favorable hedge against inflation. Gold functions as a good store of value against a declining currency.
Investing in Gold
The easiest way to gain exposure to gold is through the stock market, in which you can invest in actual gold bullion or gold mining companies. Investing in gold bullion won't give the leverage that you get from investing in gold mining stocks. As the price of gold goes up, miners' higher profit margins can boost earnings exponentially. Suppose a mining company has a profit margin of $200 when the price of gold is $1000. If the price of gold goes up 10% to $1100 an ounce, the operating margin of the gold miners goes to $300, a 50% increase.Of course, there are other issues to consider with gold mining stocks, namely political risk (since many operate in third world countries), and maintaining gold production levels.
The most common way to invest in physical gold is through the SPDR's Gold Shares (NYSE:GLD) ETF, which simply holds gold. When investing in ETFs, pay attention to net asset value (NAV) as sometimes the purchase can exceed NAV by a wide margin, especially when folks are optimistic.
Gold mining companies include Barrick Gold (NYSE:ABX), Newmont Mining (NYSE:NEM), Goldcorp (NYSE:GG), and Anglogold Ashanti (NYSE:AU). Passive investors who want great exposure to the gold miners may consider the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:GDX) which includes investments in all the major miners. (See also: Top 5 Gold ETFs for 2017)
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