How good is Gold Investing?

Rick Munarriz, Popular Investments advisor from the Motley Fool thinks Google stocks and Gold are the two most popular investments in this age and time. Based on the above facts, a question can be posed: Between a share in Google and 1 once of Gold which is a better investment.  As at 4th January 2008, investing in gold was profitable than investing in Google stocks, with 1 once of gold selling at $ 859.19 while I share of Google selling at $657 in the U.S stock market.

Comparisons between investments in precious metals and investments in financial instruments like stock are always a subject of debate in the financial world. In this decade particularly stocks have shown impressive performances in the various stock exchange markets in the world from the FTSE to the Dow Jones. The skyrocketing prices of stocks can be attributed to stable political environment in U.S.A, U.K and other developed countries. In the last seventy years there has been no war or a major political crisis in the major players in the global economy. The legal structures and the financial infrastructure in the developed world over the last seventy years have improved dramatically facilitating the smooth flow of trade in stock exchanges across the world. With all these factors about stocks noted, it still cannot be concluded that stocks are better than gold.

The year was 2008 and the world financial system was greeted by the rudest shock it has ever had. In a span of less than 24 hours, over 5 major stock exchange markets crashed leaving investors with losses running in billions of dollars. In that instance it was very clear that financial markets are the most vulnerable of markets in the world.  It was immediately appreciated that the stability and certainty associated with investing in gold cannot be found in investments in stocks and bonds.  Stocks are primarily short term investments. The person who buys stocks with the intention of selling them within a short period of time is bound to benefit more than the person who buys stocks for long run intentions. However when it comes to gold, gold is ideal for the investor with short term motives as well as the investor with long run motives. When the market is bullish gold can be purchased and sold at a massive price when the market becomes bearish.  In the long run, the prices of gold are stable swinging in the range of $700- $1200 for 1 once of gold.

For the small scale investor, investing in gold entails purchasing gold coins or gold bars. The small scale investor can also own gold bank accounts or purchase gold exchange traded funds. Gold exchange traded funds are usually sold and traded in the major stock exchanges in the world.  Large scale investors like commercial banks and central banks also keep more than 20% of their reserves in gold.

Investing in gold is the only way to store wealth over the long run without depreciation in the value of the wealth.  Gold is also a profitable tool of investment in the short run.