Sunday, January 19, 2014

Forces At Play In Determination Of Spot Price Of Gold

By Alonso Authement


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.

The free world realizes the importance of self-determination in financial markets. This is shown by the fact that markets depend on the forces of demand and supply to enable fixing of prices of different items. The USA is a super power and one of the main determinants of economic trends in other economies throughout the world.

Investors outside the USA feel the impact of dollar depreciation since it affects how the spot price of gold is calculated. According to research carried out in the past, a cycle exists in that when the US dollar depreciates, the price for gold goes down.

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.

It is common for people to purchase large reserves of gold in and outside the USA. However, their actions will have variable effects depending on when they purchase the product, the amount of time they hold onto it before reselling and various external factors. These determine the nominal value placed in the commodity and therefore the amount of profits that will be realized from the deal.

People commonly purchase reserves of large amounts of gold. This is also common for investors outside of the USA. However, it will have varying effects depending on the time at which they purchase the commodity, the length of time over which they keep it in their reserves. The nominal amount to be paid for the products will be among the major determinants of the price.

Jewelers are among the main consumers of this metal. They rely on it for the production of ornamental items such as watches, bangles and other items. Their products are very valuable and therefore their demand is among the major factors that will determine how much suppliers will charge for it.

This asset is important in securing investments made by different people. When there is growing investments from residents of different countries, they demand for more of the product to secure their investments. When the supply of the commodity is constant, the price will have to go up to balance the demand for it.

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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