GOLD NEWS

Advantages and disadvantages of investing in gold

Tue July 23 2024

Gold remains the ultimate safe-haven asset for people who want to protect their savings from persistent inflation. However, as with any investment, it is important to know and consider the pros and cons of investing in this precious metal.

Gold’s ability to offer protection against inflation and maintaining or increasing its value in economic crises, makes it a must-buy if we want to diversify and make our savings profitable.

This fact has been confirmed since inflation began to rise in 2021, reaching its highest level (7.4%) in 30 years in March 2022, causing many households to suffer with resignation a drop in their purchasing power and the loss of a large part of their savings.

Although inflation has slowed down, it remains at 3.6% in Catalonia, according to the latest data issued by the National Statistics Institute (INE). This is a rate of inflation that neither the low yields of bank deposits nor the Treasury bills have been able to compensate for.

In contrast, over the last five years, gold has experienced a spectacular increase in value, doubling its price. As for 2024, during the first six months of the year, its value has risen by 12%, following the upward trend of 2023, outperforming most of the main investment assets and reaffirming itself as the most valuable asset on the market.

However, although buying gold can be a very good option to protect our savings and can help us obtain liquidity in case of need, it is crucial to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of putting our money into this type of investment.

The good news

• Holds its value: Gold continues to be the ultimate safe-haven asset and an unparalleled store of value that tends to appreciate in the face of market uncertainty. 
• Protection against inflation: As explained above, gold has proven to be a good hedge against inflation and the devaluation of our savings.
• High liquidity: Thanks to its intrinsic value, it is a highly liquid asset that can be easily sold, making it easy to convert into cash in case of need.
• Investment diversification: The price of gold often moves inversely to the stock and money markets, acting as a hedge in periods of volatility and helping us to diversify our investment portfolio.

The not-so-good

• Barriers to entry: Investing in physical gold can require a significant initial outlay. Although there are alternatives such as investment funds, not everyone has easy access to these options. At 11Onze Preciosos we make collective purchases so that we can get the best deals for all members of our community.
• It does not generate passive income: Unlike other investments such as shares or bonds, gold is an asset that does not generate dividends or interest. This means that, as a rule, investors do not receive regular income from owning gold. However, there are products such as Gold Seed, which can generate regular, passive income from gold buying.
• Storage costs: Physical gold needs secure storage such as safes or professional storage services. A safekeeping service ensures that your gold is protected and insured, but this comes at a cost. In return, at 11Onze Preciosos, when the time comes, we take care of selling the gold of our clients who have contracted a safekeeping service with us at the best possible price.

Source: https://www.11onze.cat/