The Essential Podcast, Episode 15: Safe Haven — Gold Shines Through the Crisis

About this Episode

Fiona Boal, Global Head of Commodities & Real Assets at S&P Dow Jones Indices, joins The Essential Podcast to discuss the performance of gold through the crisis — looking specifically at gold supply, gold demand, and how "the currency of last resort" has appealed to investors over the past six months.

The Essential Podcast from S&P Global is dedicated to sharing essential intelligence with those working in and affected by financial markets. Host Nathan Hunt focuses on those issues of immediate importance to global financial markets – macroeconomic trends, the credit cycle, climate risk, energy transition, and global trade – in interviews with subject matter experts from around the world.

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Show Notes

Read the research discussed in this episode:

• During the current period of coronavirus-caused geopolitical uncertainty, global commodities markets have experienced unprecedented volatility. Throughout the crisis, while the price of oil plunged and equities benchmarks skyrocketed and tumbled, gold has emerged as a safe haven for investors. Gold's rising market price, massive secondary supply, and expected Q2 success have cemented its shining status as uncertainty prevails. Learn more about gold's silver lining in S&P Global's latest special report.

• Read Fiona's June 8 article on the actions taken by S&P Dow Jones Indices to ensure that commodity indices remain replicable and investable in light of the recent extraordinary market conditions experienced in the oil market.

• "Much has been made of the relative performance of gold since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The S&P GSCI Gold gained 10.2% YTD through April 7, 2020, highlighting its safe-haven status; however, it is worth reviewing this performance and considering what demand drivers may influence gold prices over the coming months," Fiona said in an April 13 article titled "Golden Eye of the Storm."

• With knowledgeable industry contributors, S&P Dow Jones Indices'Indexology Blog delivers more than fundamentals on how indices are conceived, constructed, and used in the marketplace. Indexology features posts, reports, performance, and discussions from thought leaders across S&P DJI as well as guest posts from renowned, subject matter professionals. As a forum for expressing various views and thoughts on indexing, Indexology provides insightful research and a look at market, political, and economic events through the lens of S&P DJI's index data.