I think that gold will catch a few people out this year. It will be interesting to see which side you are caught.
Will gold deliver another glittering year in 2012? – Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/gold/8973351/Will-gold-deliver-another-glittering-year-in-2012.html
Is it a wise decision to buy gold at present? The asset – famously given as one of the gifts of the magi – is seen as the ultimate “safe haven” investment in times of political instability, economic turmoil or rising inflation.
Given world events this year – the Arab Spring, financial crisis in the eurozone, economic stagnation in the West, and the inflationary effects of central banks printing money to keep credit markets liquid – it is not surprising that the price of gold has risen again, after a decade of strong gains. According to figures from the World Gold Council, the price of gold was $1,596 per ounce just before Christmas. (Gold is traditionally priced in dollars and is still weighted by a medieval measure called the troy ounce, which is just over 30g.) This is up from $1,420 at the beginning of the year, and an increase of almost 500pc from the price it was trading at ($278 per ounce) on Christmas Eve 2001.
(via Instapaper)