Looking at some of the trends to watch for in 2018. Metals are looking positive as they have continued to experience higher lows in recent years. Gold has quietly moved from the 2015 low of under $1,100/Oz to over $1,300 as of late.
Inflation watch. Minimum wage hikes have come into affect and we expect that businesses will react by raising prices and trimming staff. The overall net affect will not be positive for workers or the economy. The reaction to the minimum wage hike is ultimately inflationary. Precious metals have a solid track record of maintaining and increasing in value during periods of inflation. Having some bullion in your portfolio is a way to get your inflation rebate.
De-dollarization. Countries will continue to abandon the dollar in trade and as such the US dollar will become less valuable. As the US dollar falls in value, the price of gold and silver will respond accordingly over the long term. As a strong store of value, precious metals protect against dollar devaluations. De-dollarization will lead to a further devaluation of the US dollar.
Argyle Mine Closure. Set to close in 2020 the Argyle diamond mine will no longer provide 90% of the world’s pink diamonds to the world. Expect prices for pink diamonds to rise as inventory becomes even more sparse. Guildhall has access to some of the finest Argyle pinks and all are considered investment-grade.
