As investors reflect on 2018 market trends and think forward to potential bouts of volatility in the market, now may be a good time to consider diversifying a portfolio with a safe-haven asset like gold.
On the upcoming webcast, Gold: What You Need to Know for 2019, George Milling–Stanley, Vice President, Head of Gold Strategy at State Street Global Advisors; Matthew Bartolini, CFA, Head of SPDR Americas Research at State Street Global Advisors; Juan Carlos Artigas, Director, Investment Research at World Gold Council; and Alistair Hewitt, Director, Market Intelligence at World Gold Council, will consider ways to improve the risk-return characteristic of an investment portfolio in current market conditions and the role gold can play in today’s global multi-asset portfolio.
ETF investors who are interested in accessing the gold markets now have a number of options to choose from. For example, the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEArca: GLD), the largest physically backed gold-related ETF on the market, has been the go-to ETF option for gold exposure.
Investors have looked to GLD as a quick and easy way to gain exposure to gold price movements as they hedge against market risks, help protect their purchasing power in times of inflationary pressures or capitalize on increasing demand from the emerging markets with a growing middle-income class.
The World Gold Council and State Street Global Advisors also expanded on the gold ETF theme with the launch of a relatively new offering that provides the cheapest exposure along with a low share price to those investors seeking exposure to the yellow precious metal. The SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (NYSEArca: GLDM) has a 0.18% expense ratio and was initially listed at a per-share trading price of 1/100th of an ounce of gold, as represented by the LBMA Gold Price PM (USD).
GLDM’s strategy is identical to GLD – both are physically backed by gold bullion and are structured as grantor trusts. However, GLD’s price was 1/10th the price of gold in ounces at its inception while the Gold MiniShares ETF was priced at 1/100th the price of gold in ounces.
Additionally, as the U.S. dollar strengthens, investors may still capture the potential upside in gold or hedge against potential market risks without worrying about an appreciating USD through the SPDR Long Dollar Gold Trust (NYSEArca: GLDW). The dollar-hedged gold ETF may help investors gain exposure to gold bullion price movements and limit the negative effects of potential market volatility, without worrying about a stronger U.S. dollar.
Financial advisors who are interested in learning more about the gold market can register for the Thursday, December 13 webcast here.