Between January 1971 and March 2024, gold had average annual returns of 7.98 percent, which was only slightly behind the return of commodities, with an annual average of eight percent. The annual average return of gold in 2023 was 13.1 percent. What is the total global demand for gold? The global demand for gold remains robust owing to its historical importance, financial stability, and cultural appeal. During economic uncertainty, investors look for a safe haven, while emerging markets fuel jewelry demand. A distinct contrast transpired during COVID-19, when the global demand for gold experienced a sharp decline in 2020 owing to a reduction in consumer spending. However, the subsequent years saw an increase in demand for the precious metal. How much gold is produced worldwide? The production of gold depends mainly on geological formations, market demand, and the cost of production. These factors have a significant impact on the discovery, extraction, and economic viability of gold mining operations worldwide. In 2024, the worldwide production of gold was expected to reach 124 million ounces, and it is anticipated that the rate of growth will increase as exploration technologies improve, gold prices rise, and mining practices improve.

Gold is the most popular precious metal in the investment industry. The rate of return for gold investments fluctuated significantly during the period from 2002 to 2024 but generated positive returns in most years of the observed period. The return of gold as an investment reached almost 27 percent in 2024, one of the highest recorded. Why is gold valuable? Gold is a precious metal with a number of practical uses, particularly in technology. For example, NASA uses gold to improve its lasers and protect sensitive things in space, including a part of the visor for its astronauts. However, a large share of the demand for gold worldwide is as an investment, particularly by central banks. Gold serves the purpose of an alternative to currency because it is relatively scarce but still has enough mine production to serve the financial sector. Gold as an investment Under the Bretton Woods agreement after World War II, the world’s major currencies were tied to the value of gold. This system, called the Gold Standard, ended in 1971. Still, most countries maintain significant gold reserves. Due to this history and the overall faith in the value of gold, the average gold price tends to increase in times of recession, making it an attractive investment in uncertain times.

Historical dataset of nominal and real (inflation-adjusted) gold prices per ounce back to 1915. The series is deflated using the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) with the most recent month as the base. The current month is updated on an hourly basis with today's latest value.

Long term historical dataset of the NASDAQ Composite stock market index since 1971. Historical data is inflation-adjusted using the headline CPI and each data point represents the month-end closing value. The current month is updated on an hourly basis with today's latest value.

Historical dataset of real (inflation-adjusted) silver prices per ounce back to 1915. The series is deflated using the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) with the most recent month as the base. The current month is updated on an hourly basis with today's latest value.