Page 16 - Bullion World Issue 9 January 2022
P. 16

Bullion World | Issue 09 | January 2022

Gold Outlook for the
year 2022

                                                                           nominal yields and the potential for
                                                                           rate hikes and stimulus unwinding
                                                                           across the globe, as inflation rises.
                                                                           On the downside, the ongoing risk
                                                                           of new waves of infection and virus
                                                                           variants, fears of stagflation and
                                                                           negative real rates have offered
                                                                           support.

                                                                           As we start the new year, many
                                                                           uncertainties remain. Waves of
                                                                           COVID-19 outbreaks, supply-
                                                                           chain challenges and geopolitical
                                                                           tensions make forecasting trends
                                                                           over the next 12 months a hard
                                                                           task. Crucially, rising inflation and
                                                                           the extent to which it is transitory
                                                                           will have a profound impact on
                                                                           monetary policy decisions and in
                                                                           turn asset prices. In the near future,
                                                                           this should be the main driver of
                                                                           precious metals investor activity,
                                                                           especially for gold. In the US, CPI
                                                                           inflation recently topped 6.8%, the
                                                                           highest since 1982. Prices have
                                                                           also been accelerating in other
                                                                           major economies. The mismatch
                                                                           of high demand, in the aftermath of
                                                                           unprecedented fiscal and monetary

Mr Harshal Barot,
Senior Consultant, Metals Focus

Unlike the stellar gains seen during  break higher failed multiple times
2020, gold experienced choppy         and the gold price eventually fell
conditions and saw a subsequent       from over $1,900 in early June to
correction in 2021. After a record    a low of $1,691 this August. Since
high of $2,075 in August 2020, gold   then, the yellow metal initially
fell to a low of $1,765 by November   recouped most of those losses but
that year, before closing near        is now oscillating around $1,800,
$1,900. In doing so, gold achieved    having lost about 3.6% intra-year
a 25% intra-year gain in 2020, the    in 2021. On the upside, it has been
best since 2011. The start of 2021    capped due to a combination of a
saw further upside but attempts to    stronger economic recovery, rising

16
   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21