Is investing in precious metals risky?

However, investing in gold and other precious metals, and particularly in physical precious metals, carries risks, including the risk of loss. While gold is often considered a safe haven investment, gold and other metals are not immune to price drops. Gold and silver generally stay strong when traditional asset values fall. But that's not always the case.

There are risks when investing in precious metals that are often overlooked when investors seek exposure to gold and silver. Below, I've mentioned some of the key risk factors that can't be ignored if you want to start investing in precious metals. Precious metals are rare metals that have a high economic value. They are valuable because they are scarce, useful for industrial processes or have investment properties that make them a good store of value.

Notable precious metals include gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Know the risks associated with trading these types of products. Precious metals are subject to market risk like most other investments, but once again, they prove to be stronger than most assets. Since money often flows into precious metals when general economic downturns begin, gold, silver, and platinum tend to be resistant to recessions.

Physical precious metals are unregulated products. Precious metals are speculative investments that can experience price volatility in the short and long term. The value of investments in precious metals may fluctuate and may be appreciated or decreased depending on market conditions. If you sell in a declining market, the price you receive may be lower than your original investment.

Unlike bonds and stocks, precious metals do not make interest or dividend payments. Therefore, precious metals may not be appropriate for investors who require current income. Precious metals are raw materials that must be safely stored, which may impose additional costs on the investor. The Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) provides some protection for clients' cash and securities in the event of bankruptcy of a brokerage company, other financial difficulties or if clients' assets are missing.

SIPC insurance does not apply to precious metals or other commodities. An investment in an exchange-traded fund involves risks similar to those of investing in a broad portfolio of equity traded securities on the relevant stock market, such as market fluctuations caused by factors such as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and trends perceived in share prices. Central banks own approximately one-sixth of the world's investable gold stocks to diversify foreign exchange reserves. In the event of a margin call, you may be asked to invest additional money to prevent your investment from being liquidated without your consent or prior notice.

Unlike gold, the price of silver oscillates between its perceived role as a store of value and its role as an industrial metal. In addition to some of the downsides of investing in precious metals, there are other risks that investors should consider. We offer active investment strategies in public and private markets and customized solutions for institutional and individual investors. The largest industrial use of palladium is in catalytic converters because the metal serves as a great catalyst that accelerates chemical reactions.

Investing in physical precious metals (coins and bars), digital gold, and physically backed publicly traded offerings often achieves this goal. Platinum is one of six platinum group metals (PGM) that also includes ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium and iridium. Below, you will find several types of investment risk that are described in detail so that you can better understand what types of risks are embedded in a given investment. Direct investment in coins and bullion is the easiest way to receive physical delivery, but there are trade-offs, such as surcharges and the cumbersome nature of traveling to a dealer and then choosing the resting place for metal, such as a safe deposit box.

We offer scalable investment products, encourage innovative solutions and provide actionable insights on sustainability issues. One way to help protect your retirement savings is to include in your portfolio investments in precious metals that are able to protect against inflation and market declines. . .