Gold Price Movements: Common Wisdom and Myths

Abstract

Gold has a unique status in the economic world: a precious metal with wide uses and the measure of economic power of nations and the cornerstone of international monetary regimes. It has provided an important store of wealth to diverse investors, from individual to institutions, for centuries. It is an asset class and the foundation of a modern portfolio. In recent years, the world witnessed an aggressive growth in gold price. The role of gold in investment has drawn more attention since this transformational economic crisis began to unfold in 2008. This paper is an attempt to understand the price movement of gold. Can we find support for some popular opinions about gold on finance media? For instance: is gold a safe haven, a negative-beta asset, or an inflation hedge? How should we think about gold: a commodity or a currency? This paper provides some thoughts on these questions.