Investing in gold is often seen as a safe bet, but it is important to remember that it is also a high-risk and highly volatile investment. Unlike common stocks, bonds and real estate, the value of gold does not reflect underlying gains. Gold is a purely speculative investment, and investors can invest in it through exchange-traded funds (ETFs), buy shares in gold miners and partner companies, or purchase physical gold. These investors have as many reasons to invest in metal as there are methods to make those investments.
Gold is considered a safe investment because it's supposed to act as a safety net when markets are declining, since the price of gold doesn't usually move with market prices. However, this can also be considered a risky investment, since history has shown that the price of gold does not always rise, especially when markets soar. Investors often turn to gold when there is fear in the market and they expect stock prices to fall. Investing in gold with the idea that it never loses value is the wrong approach.
Like any investment or financial asset, gold is subject to supply and demand pressures that cause the price to fluctuate. The IRS treats gold and other precious metals as collectibles, not as securities, and proceeds from the sale of collectibles are taxed at a rate of 28 percent instead of applying the lower rates of 20 percent at most to long-term capital gains on securities. Liquidity risk is rarely a problem for investors in precious metals. Because the global market is so large, there is almost always a buyer willing to buy gold or silver.
When it comes to physical gold and silver, the biggest challenge is often arranging safe shipping to the buyer. Gold and silver are physical assets, which has big implications for investors. For example, precious metals offer no greater growth potential than changes in their values since an ounce of gold will always be just an ounce of gold. However, a miner is a business that can expand over time by investing in its mining operations.
This is one of the reasons why many investors prefer miners to physical gold. If, for example, gold were to fall back to the prices it reached earlier in the year, Barrick's profit per ounce of gold would fall by approximately 45%. Investors consider gold to be one of the safest investments because it recovers its value quickly through economic recessions. Bitcoin is a much newer asset and its viability as a hedge is highly speculative compared to gold.
If you look at historical returns, it turns out that gold pales as a long-term investment option. For example, if you are investing in gold mining companies, the stock price may reflect the company's financial health and market position rather than the price of gold. Gold is also a safe haven in times of inflation because it retains its value much better than foreign-backed assets which can rise in price but fall in value. If you look at historical gold prices, you'll discover that the price of gold skyrocketed dramatically in the 2000s.
A relatively small increase in the price of gold can generate significant profits in the best gold stocks and gold stock owners typically earn a much higher return on investment (ROI) than physical gold owners. Investments that offer a “hedge” against inflation risk include precious metals such as gold and silver ingots which is one of the many reasons why investors prefer to diversify in this way. As a result, gold yields may not be high compared to other high-risk investments such as stocks or junk bonds. As a general rule, financial experts often suggest that you don't hold more than a small percentage of your assets in gold.
