Insights

In this episode of Unearthed, hosts John Reade and Joseph Cavatoni, Senior Market Strategists at the World Gold Council, are joined by Ken Rogoff, Professor of Economics at Harvard University and former Chief Economist of the IMF.

The last two decades of relaxed fiscal policies and shifts in the demand structure for treasuries have now put the US in a precarious position. Ongoing fiscal concerns will likely lead to bond market volatility, ultimately supporting the gold market as investors look for alternative safe-haven assets.

Last week, optimism from a US – China tariff truce and easing inflation was tempered by slower US spending, a sharp drop in China’s bank lending, and Japan’s economic slowdown, even as Europe posted strong growth. Moody’s became the last of the three ratings agency to downgrade the credit rating of the US late on Friday. While the technical fallout may be minimal, it could usher in a sentiment hit on Monday.

Gold recently crossed US$3,000/oz intraday – a headline-worthy event, but the true significance for gold lies in the broader economic trends driving its rise.

Gold began 2025 with vigour: the LBMA Gold Price PM and the Shanghai Gold Benchmark Price PM both saw their strongest January in years, rising by 8% and 5% respectively. 

In this episode of Unearthed, hosts Joe Cavatoni and John Reade from the World Gold Council share their expert views on the potential unintended impact of US tariffs on gold. 

China’s wholesale gold demand sees a seasonal rebound in December yet the 2024 total remains weaker than 2023. Meanwhile, gold ETFs experienced unprecedented inflows in 2024. And China’s official gold holdings have increased two months in a row now, ending the year with reported gold purchases of 44t.

The local gold price’s unprecedent surge and amplified equity market volatilities helped Chinese gold ETFs attract their largest monthly inflow eve. China’s wholesale gold demand continued to exhibit seasonal patterns, witnessing a mild fall m/m yet remaining well below the long- term average. The stabilizing gold price, seasonality and positive impact from various stimulus may bode well for gold consumption in coming months.

Delaying our Gold Market Commentary until after the possibly volatility-inducing US election, we instead take stock of some interesting statistics regarding October's and the year-to-date stellar run-up in gold prices.

China has recently announced aggressive stimuli to shore up consumer confidence and support growth. Based on our models we believe the potential improvement in GDP will benefit gold demand in China. However, gold investment appetite may face competition from other assets including equities and property as the economy recovers.

In this episode of "Unearthed," John and Joe discuss the recent U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls report and its impact on the gold market.

In this special episode of "Unearthed", John Reade and Joe Cavatoni from the World Gold Council discuss the 50 basis point interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve and its impact on the gold market.

Money is an odd thing. Like language, it is something we use every day, but when you start asking questions about it, difficulties arise almost immediately. How do you define money? How is it created? How does its value change, especially with respect to inflation?

Gold has reached continuous highs in March and is trading close to US$2,200/oz. While this can be partly explained by a weaker USD, higher risk and momentum, other factors such as ‘technicals’ and OTC activity likely accelerated the move.

Determining the value of gold can at times make potential investors hesitant. Unable to judge what the price might do, reduces confidence in making an informed decision. Recently, gold in Australian Dollars (AUD) reached its highest ever price and breached A$3,000. While dipping slightly by the end of the first half of 2023, when is the right time to buy, or even increase, a gold allocation into a portfolio?

When I did my own independent, online research, I found that the information available on the web can be confusing and, in many ways, misleading if not downright inaccurate. This blog is a very simple and concise summary, for anyone interested in achieving the benefits of gold in their retirement account.

We’re delighted to contribute another thought-leader article published in Financial Investigator’s highly regarded magazine. In their September issue, we review the notion that whilst bonds may be en vogue, gold never goes out of style. The article supports our ongoing belief that gold has a key role to play as a strategic long-term investment and mainstay allocation within a well-diversified portfolio.

Amid economic uncertainty Australian investors have, so far this year, been reallocating to fixed income assets. Although currently attractive, persistent inflationary pressure can bring risks to both the growth outlook and return for these assets. Gold should be considered as a long-term strategic asset alongside bonds as it provides excellent returns in a wide range of economic scenarios.

SMSF investors continue to face inflationary pressure not seen in decades. And it could influence investment performance if the potential effects are not considered.

The latest Gallup Poll Social Series monitoring public opinion on economy and finance shows that gold jumped into second place as ‘best long-term investment’ in the US this year.