Goldâs having an identity crisis
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/golds-having-an-identity-crisis-2012-06-01?link=MW_story_popular
âWhenever liquidity becomes problematic, such as it is now, assets will be sold down to meet loan and margin calls and get accounts back in line â and that is precisely why we are seeing gold sell off alongside other risk assets,â he said.
These days, any investment appears to be risky and itâs tough for investors to find safety in any asset, though the U.S. dollar and Treasury bonds have attracted more attention.
âPeople are rushing toward bonds, especially Treasurys, which push the U.S. dollar higher and gold lower,â said Chris Mayer, editor of Capital & Crisis.
All the while, gold has followed global equities, and other so-called riskier assets, lower.
âWeâve just gone through a period where everything has basically danced to the same tune and the Pied Piper was the U.S. [Federal Reserveâs] monetary policies, but that wonât continue forever,â Mayer said.
By contrast, the euro EURUSD +0.20% dropped 6.6% against the dollar.
âMany investors used to confuse the euro for gold, buying the single currency just to escape the dollar,â said Adrian Ash, head of research at BullionVault. âThis yearâs dollar rally to date has confused a lot of traders again, only this time the other way around.â
All of which is taking a toll on goldâs safe-haven appeal. Goldâs âidentity crisis still needs resolving,â said Ash.