Expert: Gold Euphoria Is “Justified”

In 2018, rising interest rates that coincided with an extended bull run in U.S. equities for most of the year fueled a strong dollar, tamping down gains for gold. However, when investors got washed in a cycle of volatility that started in the fall and lasted through year’s end, investors were quick to reconsider the precious metal as a safe haven, which helped ETFs like the SPDR Gold Shares ( GLD A- ) – an industry leader with a $34 billion market cap.