How Precious Metals Mutual Funds Can Be A Safe Haven In Troubled Times

Precious metals mutual funds are a fascinating variation on the common theme of mutual fund investing. The concept of a mutual fund is obvious enough, with investment money shared across different companies and market sectors to reduce risk. Precious metals such as gold have also always been used as a counter-cyclical investment. When the stock markets and the world economy is in turmoil, money tends to take flight to less risky investments. This inevitably leads to a rise in the gold price, one of the most reliable of all financial indicators.

The advantage of mutual fund investment is that it offers diversity, and protection against a disaster in one market sector wiping out your entire investment capital. Precious metal investment largely does the same thing, as it would be impossible for gold to lose all, or even most, of its value. Investing in a mutual fund based on durable and reliable metals is one safe way of hedging against market chaos. The worse economic conditions get, the more likely it is that the fund will be profitable.

There are downsides which this type of investment, and one of the main ones is that you are only holding paper. If the economy failed completely, you will almost certainly not be able to turn that paper into actual gold. If, on the other hand, you took physical possession of the metal, you would be able to use it to trade your way out of trouble. On the other hand, physical possession of gold is expensive on an ongoing basis because you need protection and insurance.

Possibly the best solution is to have enough gold in your physical possession to buy yourself out of trouble in the worst case scenario, but to hold the rest of the metal in paper form. A mutual fund which can combine more than one precious metal should also appeal, as this guarantees against any miraculous discovery of new stocks severely damaging the price level of one metal you may be holding. The paper metal holding should be enough to give you protection in most cases, as all mutual funds are backed by the Federal Government.

If you are sure that precious metals mutual funds are the right investment vehicle for you, you will need to assess the balance of the fund, alongside the price movements of the metals themselves. The past movements are no guarantee of future movements, and not all precious metal prices move in the same direction at the same time. Silver prices do tend to follow gold, but in a far more erratic way. Try to find a fund with no front end load, or at least as small a one as possible, as the manager will have very little input with precious metals mutual funds.

 

stock market trading

 

Top Daily Stock Market Advisory - Click Here

 

 

Financial Advisor News:

 

Financial advisor sentenced in scheme to defraud clients
Reisterstown man gets four years in prison A Reisterstown financial advisor was sentenced Friday to four years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for mail fraud in connection with defrauding clients, including a child suffering from cerebral palsy, the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office announced...


Your Broker Has No Clue - Huffington Post (blog)

Your Broker Has No Clue
Huffington Post (blog)
I am fascinated by the way most people invest, because it is demonstrably wrong. Here's how you probably pick your mutual funds. Your broker calls and tells you about a mutual fund he believes is right for your portfolio. The pitch usually involves a .

..


Uzurp Financial Advisor Database Tops 230,000 Contacts
Uzurp.com, an online tool for researching Financial Advisors, Stockbrokers, and Registered Investment Advisors, has now topped 230,000 contacts in their database.Wilmington, DE (PRWEB) February 07, 2012 Uzurp.com announces that they have now topped 230,000 contacts in their Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and Financial Advisor databases. Covering a rapidly changing industry, the database has ...


John Hancock Survey on Trust Finds Investors Giving Top Marks to Their Financial Advisors, and Low Marks to Congress
BOSTON, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent John Hancock survey of investors on the concept of trust in institutions and individuals showed that investors rank their financial advisors highly while viewing ...


Finding a Financial Advisor:
This post was originally published on May 25, 2007) Trust and communication can be two of the toughest elements to create in any relationship. When applied to friendship, love or a business partnership; creating, building ...


Your Funds: Fund investors should act in their own best interest - Richmond Times Dispatch

Your Funds: Fund investors should act in their own best interest
Richmond Times Dispatch
. the rule that financial advisers EUR who get paid for their advice or counsel EUR must put the client's best interests first, whereas a broker (who sells specific investment products) must only provide suggestions that are "suitable.

..

European regulator warns on quality of advice and products - Money Marketing

Money Marketing

European regulator warns on quality of advice and products
Money Marketing
He says: EURUnsuitable investment advice is provided, for example, because the extent and the nature of information gathered about a client's profile EUR on financial needs and background EUR varies between intermediaries.EUR Maijoor says inducements to .
European regulator lists problems faced by investorsFundweb

all 8 news articles »
..


SEI Quick Poll: Controlling Pension Funding Volatility the Top Priority for . - MarketWatch (press release)

SEI Quick Poll: Controlling Pension Funding Volatility the Top Priority for .
MarketWatch (press release)
Many plan sponsors now face the burden of making substantial contributions to their plans in order to meet funding requirements," said Jon Waite, Director, Investment Management Advice and Chief Actuary, SEI's Institutional Group.

and more »
..


 

mutual funds

 

Daily Stock Barometer - Click Here