Gold is Heading toward First Yearly Loss Since 2000

Gold is Heading toward First Yearly Loss Since 2000 (Bloomberg)

As 2013 nears its close, it is on the verge of notching the first yearly gold-price drop since 2000. After jumping sevenfold during a 12-year bull market — a run matched by only a handful of assets, including U.S. Treasuries and stamps — it’s wallowing near a three-year low, down about a third from its peak. Only silver and corn performed worse among commodities in 2013. Gold’s appeal as a haven during financial storms sent it to a record of $1,921.15 an ounce in 2011. As economic growth improved, equities rallied and gold began to plunge, with investors selling as much from physically backed gold exchange-traded products in 2013 as they bought in the previous three years combined.

Paul Dykewicz

Paul Dykewicz is the editor of StockInvestor.com and the editorial director of Eagle Financial Publications in Washington, D.C. He writes and edits for the website, as well as edits investment newsletters, time-sensitive trading alerts and other reports published by Eagle. He also is an accomplished, award-winning journalist who has written for Dow Jones, USA Today and other publications, as well as served as business editor of a daily newspaper in Baltimore. In addition, Paul is the author of the inspirational book, "Holy Smokes! Golden Guidance from Notre Dame's Championship Chaplain." He received his MBA in finance from Johns Hopkins University, where he was a two-time president of the school's Finance Club. In addition, Paul has a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in journalism from Michigan State University. Outside of work, Paul volunteers with a faith-based organization to assist the poor in Southeast Washington, D.C., to learn personal finance skills to lift themselves out of debt.