Gold Surges To New Record Highs in Euros at €1,581/oz and $1,726/oz in Dollars

◆ “Gold is the perfect piggy bank – it’s the anchor of trust for the financial system” says the Central Bank of the Netherlands ◆ “If the system collapses, the gold stock can serve as a basis to build it up again” astutely and prudently observes the Dutch Central Bank ◆ The Dutch people “hold more than 600 tonnes of gold. A bar of gold always retains its value, crisis or no crisis”

◆ Severe funding pressures in U.S. money markets tipped to resurface heading into year-end by JPMorgan who warn that financial stresses are likely to ‘get much worse’ ◆ Goldman Sachs and Bank of America also warn funding issues remain (see below) ◆ Federal Reserve will start buying $60 billion of Treasury bills every month ◆ Funding markets are on notice for a possible year-end liquidity crunch

◆ “It may be time to replace bonds with gold”according to the just released excellent new Investment Update by the World Gold Council.◆ Central banks have shifted to a new regime of easy monetary policy, thus reducing expected bond returns.

◆ Global debt has risen to another record at $255 trillion due to cheap borrowing costs. ◆ A decade of easy money has left the world with a record $250 trillion of government, corporate and household debt. ◆ This is almost three times global economic output and equates to about $32,500 for every man, woman and child on earth.

Gold will climb to $1,600 over the next year – Goldman. ◆ Goldman is still forecasting that gold will climb to $1,600 over the next year due to investment demand. ◆ Investors should diversify their long-term bond holdings with gold, citing “fear-driven demand” for the precious metal – Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

There’s only one story in the UK this morning – it’s the day Britain goes to the polls. It’s no exaggeration to say that this election is probably the most important of the century so far. If the ruling Conservative party wins a clear majority, then some form of Brexit is almost certain to go ahead.

With no opportunity cost to holding a zero-yield asset such as gold, investors increasingly are adding it to their portfolios as a hedge. ◆ Gold retains its intrinsic value, something no paper currency has managed to do over history. ◆ Gold is insurance. Insurance isn’t supposed to make you rich; it’s supposed to keep you from being poor.

◆ Stock markets around the world are collapsing today as the financial and economic implications of the impact of the pandemic on already massively indebted companies and governments is realised.◆ Investors are liquidating en masse risk assets from equities to industrial commodities, while gold has held its ground.