With Gold sitting at over $1225 per ounce, one has to ask themselves , “how much higher will it go ?” Many variables go into the formula which determines how high people are willing to pay for Gold bullion. Only five years ago gold prices were at about 30% of what they are standing at today . An Investment of $10,000 back in 2004 would be worth in excess of $32,000 today . So, what are the key variables that will determine how much higher prices will rise in the approaching years? ?
US and World Inflation :
If and when the inflation rate goes up, gold prices also go up too as a currency is devalued . It is one of the largest hedges against inflation . With the Us, and now Europe, in what many are calling extreme national debt, inflation may be quite high in the years ahead, especially if it causes the fiat currencies to decrease in value .
Demand for Jewelry and Other Manufactured Goods :
Because gold is one of the best conductors of electricity, many electronics use it for various components. Jewlery is also big in South Asia, and as these economies grow, so does the demand for it. . As China and India increase both their demand for gold jewelry as well as electronics like cell phones , the demand for Gold should continue to rise quite rapidly over time .
Many experts are predicting gold prices to rise in excess of $2000 per ounce within the next 2-3 years . In Fact there are Investment opportunities that are based around golds prospects to rise in price such as JmGold. Personally I believe that these predictions may be on the low side. I would not be surprised to see gold prices approaching $3,500 an oucne by 2016 as the world debt problem grows, and so does economic uncertainty. Of course the increase won’t be a steady upward thrust . We will see ups and downs, however the overall trend should be up . I would recommend an investment in the metal, however, don’t overdo it as you should never put all your eggs in one basket. A great way to invest is to directly purchase Gold Eagle coins from the US mint and store them away in a safe place. If you don’t like this idea, an investment in a Exchange Traded Fund, such as ticker symbol GLD, is the next best thing .
