The Daily Reckoning
Baltimore, Maryland
November 19-20, 2005
by Kate Incontrera
MARKET REVIEW: DREAMING OF A GOLD CHRISTMAS
Good news, goldbugs - your favorite precious metal reached its highest
level in nearly 18 years this past Thursday.
We know that longtime DR sufferers aren't surprised; they've been advised in these pages to drop the dollar and buy gold for years now. After all, gold is the anti-paper, and despite recent dollar strength, investors areincreasingly exploring alternatives to U.S. and European currencies, aswell as stocks and bonds.
"Strength in the dollar is more a reflection of trouble for the euro and
the yen," Addison Wiggin tells us. "Gold is the only investment
alternative not susceptible to what ails the dollar."
And gold has proved to be a better measurement of wealth (and a better way to hold onto that wealth) over paper money time and time again. Bill
Bonner has called gold "nature's money" - and for good reason. You can't
turn on a printing press or create it out of thin air; this naturally
limits the "money supply," generally keeping it in line with the economy
itself
And last Thursday, gold for December delivery rose $7.80, or 1.6 percent,
to $486.90 an ounce, the highest close since January of 1988. Some
analysts say that the gold market may been supported by comments from
Russian and South African central banks, who hinted that they may want to beef up their gold reserves. Other experts contend that strong physical
demand from countries like China and India are driving the rally. And you
can't forget about those who buy gold as a hedge against inflation.
Whatever the reason for this rally, it all looks very good for those smart
investors who hold the yellow metal...and many believe that it'll just
keep getting better from here.
"Gold is going to (hit) $500 by Christmas and everything that happens is a step in that direction," said Peter Hillyard, head of metal sales, Europe,at ANZ Investment Bank.
"The funds want to diversify portfolios and they are buying commodities
because they are seen as being potential for better returns."
Kate Incontrera
The Daily Reckoning
P.S. Gold's jump this past week echoes the prediction Bill and Addison
make in their new book, Empire of Debt. "Gold is what people buy when they
begin to lose confidence in the economy, the government and its money,"
they write. "We expect they will begin to wonder more and more."
For a sneak peek from Empire of Debt, see "The Power of Gold", below...or
The Most Feared Book in Washington
http://www1.youreletters.com/t/189053/1390100/781252/0/