Gold has historically preserved money and helped it grow, providing stability across generations.
Typically, the more stocks decline, the better gold does. (Chart 2)
Sources: Bloomberg, ICE Benchmark Administration, World Gold Council
*Returns from 31 December 2001 to 31 December 2021. Computations in US dollars for ‘cash’: ICE BofA US 3-Month Treasury Bill Index; ‘US bonds’: Bloomberg Barclays US Agg Total Return Value Unhedged USD; Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Total Return Unhedged USD; ‘Global bonds’: Bloomberg Barclays Global-Aggregate Total Return Index Value Unhedged USD; ‘EM bonds’: Bloomberg Barclays EM USD Aggregate Total Return Index Value Unhedged; ‘US equities’: MSCI Daily TR Gross USA USD; EAFE equities: MSCI Daily TR Gross EAFE USD; ‘EM equities’: MSCI Daily TR Gross EM USD; ‘commodities’: Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return; ‘hedge funds’: Hedge Fund Research HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index; ‘REITs’: FTSE Nareit Equity REITs Total Return Index USD; and ‘gold’: LBMA Gold Price PM USD.
Sources: Bloomberg, ICE Benchmark Administration, World Gold Council
As of 31 December 2020. Return computations in US dollars for ‘US equities’: S&P 500 Index; ‘US treasuries’: Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Index; ‘gold’: LBMA Gold Price PM; and ‘VIX’: Cboe VIX Index. The VIX is available only after January 1990. For events occurring prior to that date annualized 30-day S&P 500 volatility is used as a proxy. Dates used: Black Monday: 9/1987 - 11/1987; LTCM: 8/1998; Dot-com: 3/2000 - 3/2001; September 11: 9/2001; 2002 recession: 3/2002 - 7/2002; global financial crisis (GFC): 10/2007 - 2/2009; Sovereign debt crisis I: 1/2010 - 6/2010; Sovereign debt crisis II: 2/2011 - 10/2011; Brexit: 23/6/2016 – 27/6/ 2016; 2018 pullback: 10/2018 - 12/2018; 2020 pullback: 31/1/2020 – 31/3/2020.
Retail gold products can include:[4],[5]
Higher manufacturing costs make a coin costlier on a per ounce basis than a small bar, even if the amount of gold is the same. Similarly, a smaller bar per ounce costs more than a larger bar. The extra cost is called premium. Buying fractions of large bars stored professionally typically yields the most gold per dollar invested.
For more detailed information on gold products and finding the right gold seller for you, download our full investor guide here.
We’re the global experts on gold.
Leveraging our broad knowledge and experience, we work to improve understanding of the gold market and underscore gold’s value to individuals, investors, and the world at large.
Collaboration is the cornerstone of our approach. We’re an association whose members are the world’s most forward-thinking gold mining companies. Combining the insights of our members and other industry partners, we seek to unlock gold’s evolving role as a catalyst for advancements that meet societal needs.
We develop standards, expand access to gold, and tackle barriers to adoption to stimulate demand and support a vibrant and sustainable future for the gold market. From our offices in Beijing, London, Mumbai, New York, Shanghai, and Singapore, we deliver positive impact worldwide.
Please contact: researchgold@gold.org
World Gold Council WGC USA, Inc. 685 Third Avenue, 27th Floor New York, NY 10017, United States of America
WGC (UK) Limited 15 Fetter Lane, London, EC4A 1BW United Kingdom
Important information and disclosures © 2020 World Gold Council. All rights reserved. World Gold Council and the Circle device are trademarks of the World Gold Council or its affiliates.
All references to LBMA Gold Price are used with the permission of ICE Benchmark Administration Limited and have been provided for informational purposes only. ICE Benchmark Administration Limited accepts no liability or responsibility for the accuracy of the prices or the underlying product to which the prices may be referenced. Other content is the intellectual property of the respective third party and all rights are reserved to them.
Reproduction or redistribution of any of this information is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of World Gold Council or the appropriate copyright owners, except as specifically provided below. Information and statistics are copyright © and/or other intellectual property of the World Gold Council or its affiliates (collectively, “WGC”) or third-party providers identified herein. All rights of the respective owners are reserved.
The use of the statistics in this information is permitted for the purposes of review and commentary (including media commentary) in line with fair industry practice, subject to the following two pre-conditions: (i) only limited extracts of data or analysis be used; and (ii) any and all use of these statistics is accompanied by a citation to World Gold Council and, where appropriate, to Metals Focus, Refinitiv GFMS or other identified copyright owners as their source. World Gold Council is affiliated with Metals Focus.
WGC does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information nor accepts responsibility for any losses or damages arising directly or indirectly from the use of this information.
This information is for educational purposes only and by receiving this information, you agree with its intended purpose. Nothing contained herein is intended to constitute a recommendation, investment advice, or offer for the purchase or sale of gold, any gold-related products or services or any other products, services, securities or financial instruments (collectively, “Services”). This information does not take into account any investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person.
Diversification does not guarantee any investment returns and does not eliminate the risk of loss. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. The resulting performance of any investment outcomes that can be generated through allocation to gold are hypothetical in nature, may not reflect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. WGC does not guarantee or warranty any calculations and models used in any hypothetical portfolios or any outcomes resulting from any such use. Investors should discuss their individual circumstances with their appropriate investment professionals before making any decision regarding any Services or investments.
This information may contain forward-looking statements, such as statements which use the words “believes”, “expects”, “may”, or “suggests”, or similar terminology, which are based on current expectations and are subject to change. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will be achieved. WGC assumes no responsibility for updating any forward-looking statements.
Information regarding QaurumSM and the Gold Valuation Framework Note that the resulting performance of various investment outcomes that can generated through use of Qaurum, the Gold Valuation Framework and other information are hypothetical in nature, may not reflect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. Neither WGC nor Oxford Economics provides any warranty or guarantee regarding the functionality of the tool, including without limitation any projections, estimates or calculations.