One kind of financial market where investors can exchange a variety of primary products or raw materials is the commodity market. Hard commodities and soft commodities are the two categories into which commodities are divided.
Hard commodities need to be mined. Commodities of this kind include natural resources like gold, oil, and aluminium. Soft commodities are those that come from farming rather than mining. These goods include cattle and agricultural items like corn, wheat, rice, and tea.
One of the most commonly traded commodities is gold. Let us look at why investing in gold is such a popular choice among investors and what the factors are that influence gold trading.
Benefits of trading in gold
Gold trading has several benefits, such as:
Liquidity
Due to the high liquidity of gold funds, investing in and selling gold is incredibly simple and quick.
Hedge against inflation
Even in the adverse circumstances of economic collapse and market instability, gold trading shows favourable returns.
Due to this tendency, investors have one of the finest ways to protect themselves against price swings and inflation. It has proven to be a successful long-term asset.
Developing a diverse portfolio
Through the simple and well-known investment that gold offers, investors can also employ gold investments to diversify their investment portfolio.
ETFs and FoFs
Investing in gold through gold ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) and FoFs (Fund of Funds) allows investors to avoid the danger of theft and depreciation that comes with actual gold purchases.
Factors that influence the price of gold
An investor must be aware of the various elements influencing the price of gold before starting gold trading. If they don't know these things, their investments might not be as profitable as they could be.
Demand and supply
Demand and supply are major influences on gold prices. Gold is mined. The annual gold production is insufficient. Thus, gold prices rise as demand rises.
Jewellery market
Gold is highly valued and frequently used in jewellery and other styles of accessories. The price of gold rises when demand for gold jewellery rises in the jewellery sector.
Interest rates
To take advantage of rising interest rates, investors sell gold or gold funds and buy deposits. Gold prices fall when demand diminishes. In contrast, when interest rates fall, investors prefer gold to deposits. This scenario raises gold demand and prices.
Inflation
Gold is a popular and efficient inflation hedge. Gold is unaffected by inflation, even though monetary values fall. Investors favour gold whenever inflation is on the rise. This raises gold demand, which may alter its price.
Government gold reserves
The government manages gold reserves through the Reserve Bank. When the government buys gold, the market supply reduces and cash becomes available, affecting gold prices. This lowers gold prices.
Performance of other markets
The way in which other markets, like the currency and equity markets, function is also crucial. Investors may decide to put money into gold trading during a downturn in those markets' prices. The price of gold may rise with an increase in demand.
Import
The quantity of imports also influences the country's gold pricing. Since many nations consume precious metals, importing gold is necessary to keep up with demand. As more gold becomes available, the price of gold falls when import duties are reduced.
It is obvious that supply and demand play a major role in the movement of gold prices. If an investor studies the markets carefully and has a clear and in-depth understanding of these factors, they can reap substantial profits from gold trading.