The price of gold has been on a virtual downtrend since September 2011. Of course, we are referring to gold in dollar terms. From a high of $1900 / troy oz it has fallen closer to $1100 / troy oz in a span of 4 years. There are a variety of reasons attributed for the end of gold as an alternate currency. Firstly, the dollar has been on a constant tear and typically the US dollar has been negatively correlated to the price of gold. Secondly, with the entry of ETFs large global ETFs like SPDR have started holding over 1300 tonnes of gold to back their gold ETF units. One needs to remember that SPDR today is the 6th largest gold holder. This investment demand has created volatility in the price of gold. Continue reading
