Forces At Play In Determination Of Spot Price Of Gold

By Sterling Broerman


Gold has been for long the most valuable metal on the face of the earth. This means that it is the best product that people can use as a store of value and measure of wealth. Financial markets in places around the world depend on this product since its prices have shown a relative sense of stability in times of economic difficulty. The spot price of gold is the price that dealers in financial markets have to pay for the commodity. This price is determined when various factors are put into consideration. These are also the factors that determine the prices of many other commodities in financial markets.

Most people know that in liberal markets, the forces of demand and supply determine prices. However, other factors come into play when determining gold spot price. One of these factors is the US price level. The USA is the largest economy in the world and therefore it has a lot of effect on the trends and movements of other economies. The US price level displays a significant positive relationship with the price of gold in the end. This is the reason why people rely on this precious metal as a measure against the effects of inflation.

The US price levels are some of the greatest determinants of direction of changes in prices of this product. Through time, it has been observed that there is a positive relationship between changes in this level and the gold spot price. This has led many economies around the world to rely on the precious metal as a deterrent of inflation effects.

Those investing in areas outside the USA have witnessed that the dollar depreciation determines the changes they see in these prices. There is usually a cycle existing between these factors. When the dollar depreciates, the value goes down and therefore more investors will want to purchase the commodity at this low price. This subsequently cause increase in demand for the dollar and its value appreciates. The appreciation pulls up the price of gold.

When there is depreciation in the value of the dollar, the amount to be paid for gold also goes down. This causes an rush among investors who want to take advantage of the low cost of the product. Due to the increased demand, the price of the dollar will go up bringing up the price for gold.

The demand for products plays an important role in determining the amount at which they will be sold. Jewelers are among the major consumers of this metal and therefore demand from them has a large impact on its cost. They specialize in production of customized golden products that can be used as ornaments and as stores of value.

Investments can also be secured using this asset. As the economies of different world players strengthen, the residents in those countries will invest more in this asset increasing its demand. If the supply levels stay constant, the price will inevitably increase and other factors will have to be changed.

The general political climate in the world also has a great effects on these prices. As people expect different changes in the politics and policies enacted by different authorities, they will change their investment patterns. This will in return affect the prices of commodities such as gold and others. Government politics affect the policies of central banks of different countries and therefore changes the amount of mineral they will keep in their reserves.

The environment can also have a great impact on the determination of these prices. Investments depend on the future predictions. If authorities are sure of changes in weather patterns they may advice their citizens on what to expect and therefore the best decision they can make for maximum benefits in future.

The environment is a cause of concern for many people across the world. Environmental degradation affects the weather patterns and the performance of different countries, specifically those that rely on agricultural produce for survival. Forecasts and analysis of trends in the environment should be able to indicate to them what to expect of their performance in future. Factors such as global warming and other major changes in weather may cause uncertainty in the market forcing people to change the investment choices they make. It also has an indirect impact on the prices of products such as gold.

Holding onto gold reserves earns investors interest at a variable rate. These rates are important in determination of the spot price of gold. The trend that most people are familiar with is that the amount they pay for the commodity is inverse to the interest rates they have to pay. An analysis of this trend reveals that this is caused by the fact that changes in interest rates are associated with inflation concerns and devaluation of the dollar. However, since interest rates may rise because of other factors, the relationship may go inverse to the expectations of market players.




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