Given the strength of the U.S. dollar in 2014, it’s quite encouraging to see how well gold held its own. Even though the yellow metal lost some of its value against the dollar, it still outperformed all other world currencies. Click to see the chart.
Gold is unlike every other commodity known to man. No, it’s not just that gold is shiny, malleable, or can be hammered into very thin sheets. Nor is it just that the metal is surprisingly heavy. (Did you know a bar the size of your iPhone is about 2.2 pounds?) The reason is not that gold is scarce (because it isn’t). Keep reading to see what makes gold different.
Last week it was the European Central Bank that started pumping serious money into its ailing markets, and this week, another central bank fired up the printing presses. The Bank of Japan purchased three-month Treasury bills for more than their redemption value, according to market participants – another dramatic step in its unprecedented effort to fight deflation. What do these moves mean for the dollar and gold? Find out here.
