Why gold price surged 13% in 2023? Experts list out these 5 reasons
According to commodity market experts, US banking crisis, geo-political crisis, US Fed’s rate pause stance were among some important triggers that helped gold to remain an investor’s haven throughout the year. They said that gold prices are expected to remain in uptrend as US Fed has hinted end of high interest rate cycle and cut interest rates thrice in 2024.
Also Read: Wall Street rethinks 2024 outlooks after Fed-fuelled rally
Gold vs stock market
Speaking on gold price return in 2023, market expert Sugandha Sachdeva said, “Gold proved its timeless allure in 2023, reaching a record high of Rs. 64,460 per 10gm and outshining major indices like Nifty and Sensex for most of the year. Prices surpassed the previous record high of around $2081 per ounce, entering uncharted territory toward $2,148 per ounce. Though Nifty edged ahead with an 18% year-to-date gain by year’s end, gold still remained buoyant and delivered a respectable near 13 per cent return.”
On why gold return dominated most of other assets in 2023, Amit Goel, Co-founder & Chief Global Strategist at Pace 360 said, “Barring recent Santa rally on Dalal Street after US Fed’s signal to cut interest rates thrice in 2023, gold has outperformed Nifty 50 index and most other global equity indices in CY 2023. Investors have been buying gold this year because of fears of an imminent slowdown, which will obviously catapult gold to much higher levels. Central bank buying of gold so far this year to the tune of 800 metric tonnes has also been an important factor. This figure is 14 per cent higher than their buying whole of CY 2022.”
Advising stock market investors to have some exposure in gold also, Narinder Wadhwa, National President at CPAI said, “Over the past two decades, Nifty, representing the Indian stock market, and gold have exhibited distinct performance trends. The comparison highlights the contrasting nature of these assets over the specified period. The Nifty 50 index delivered 14 per cent CAGR in the last 10 years and 14.9 per cent in the last 20 years whereas Gold has, on an average, returned 11.2 per cent in the last 20 years.”
Also Read: FPIs, Fed move raise market to new highs
“Investing in gold is hedge against inflation while Nifty’s returns reflects the cyclical nature of the stock market, influenced by economic indicators, corporate earnings, and global market dynamics. Periods of bullish trends were often followed by corrections or bearish phases,” said Wadhwa.
Triggers for gold in 2023
“We believe, US banking crisis in early 2023, global economic slowdown and geo-political tension are some of the major reasons which help Gold and Silver to beat stock market returns across the globe by a huge margin barring few like India. Despite continued interest rate hikes by Fed and rising bond yields, gold prices increases due to concerns about a global economic slowdown. Also, recent geopolitical conflict between Israel and Hamas has increased market volatility, making gold as the preferred asset class due to its inherent stability during times of crisis,” said Rajesh Sinha, Sr. Research Analyst at Bonanza Portfolio.
Sugandha Sachdeva listed out the following 5 triggers that helped gold deliver whopping return to investors in 2023:
1] Safe haven appeal: The year started with the US banking crisis, pushing risk-averse investors toward gold’s safety net.
2] Geopolitical tensions: Even as prices cooled off in the second and third quarter, conflict between Israel-Hamas in Q4 rekindled demand for gold as a store of value.
3] Dovish Fed and softening dollar: The Fed’s pivot towards potential rate cuts in 2024 weakened the dollar, boosting gold’s appeal.
4] Central bank appetite: Strategic gold purchases in large quantities by central banks provided further upward pressure.
5] Strong festive demand: Q4 saw robust gold buying during the Indian festive season.
Gold price outlook
“For the week ahead, the trend looks positive but investors should be mindful of potential headwinds, where the level of ₹62,800 per 10 gm remains a wall of supply. A breach of the same could result in follow-up buying, while lifting prices towards ₹63,500 per 10 gm. However, prevalent risk-on sentiments in the markets could favor risky assets, potentially causing some consolidation in gold prices. Furthermore, a rebound in the greenback could take some shine off the yellow metal, where support is pegged at ₹61,200 to ₹60,700 per 10 gm zone,” said Sugandha Sachdeva.
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decision.
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Published: 16 Dec 2023, 07:26 AM IST
