by Mark O’Byrne
GoldCore
“Investors could be forgiven for heading for the hills given the tumultuous start to 2016,” so writes Andrew Oxlade in The Telegraph today who advises investors to diversify into gold as an “insurance policy”:
We have long been advocates of exposure to gold as an insurance policy. This was demonstrated once again in the recent sell-off when the price of bullion surged from $1,061 (£762) an ounce on New Year’s Day to $1,246 (£895) by early February. In times of fear, gold is in demand. The price also rises when inflation becomes a danger.
Deflation remains the bigger threat for now, which is partly why gold has been a poor investment in recent years, but the money printing excesses of central banks could yet unleash inflation. In the meantime, the gold price offers some protection during repeat episodes of buckling confidence.