Gold still remains under $1200 at the end of the week after the results of stress tests of 91 Banks in Europe, where only 7 banks failed to prove they would survive financial crisis. After the results, the faith of governments in their financial institutions was restored to some extent, in relation to the ongoing debt situation in Europe.

Traders who are losing in equities markets are now dumping precious metals and other safe haven assets to recover their losses. However gold which has been declining over the past couple of weeks doesn’t seem to make a potential gain in the near future. Analysts predict that gold price will further drop to US$ 1,165 by the end of August. Meanwhile other precious metals such as silver and platinum have gained and are at $18.14 and $1544 respectively.

Gold is currently at $1,186.4 and it is expected that when market will open after 48 hrs, the price of gold will fall $3 and will reach around $1,183. Gold prices are falling due to the last week’s affect on consumer price index (CPI) which declined about 0.1% to restrain inflation fears and the situation will not improve unless the worsening fiscal situation in Europe and the economic recovery in US is firmly dealt with.

Gold has witnessed some serious decline this month amid tight economic conditions in States. Gold is currently at $1,176.31 which dropped from $2,157.09, a sharp and unexpected fall. The economic situation has made it easy for investors to invest and make enormous profits from Foreign Exchange market and Stock Market. Euro has recently increased and economists believe that it will continue to rise till the end of September allowing investors to earn 22% profits on investments and therefore very few investments are being done in bullion and gold certificates.

The reason for fall of gold is due to precious metal’s slim demand however Gold miners are positive about the market in Future. Silver have also slipped to 0.8% in single day. The gold prediction in July and August looks bearish as investment opportunities in equities and trade have captured the market. The gold’s drop to eight-week low have already effected many countries regarding economic situation and other gold-backed investment portfolios. Analysts predict that after a short-fall in trade of Gold in the month of July, gold will rise to 11%.

[Source: Kitco]

Price of gold have been fluctuating since the last month as gold demand is sought in the market of China and Australia. The government of China is urging its people through television ads to buy bullion as safest investments. The strategy behind China’s policy is to let it’s people have secured and most profitable investments for future. Similarly, business groups and middle-class people in Australia are now shifting their investments and security bonds in to gold because gold provides hedge against currencies and investments.

The gold was traded lower in New York (Dow) but this trading have not stopped the precious metal to maintain it’s strength as analysts believe that as soon as the market will reopen, the gold prices will rise. The world stock markets are seen in doldrums but investors are not ready to switch to safe heaven. The gold demand in India also slightly rose and the banks of Myanmar were noticed purchasing bullion. “The drop in price of gold left fewer people attractive towards gold”, said Bob Hopkins, senior market strategist serving for Links-Waldock, Chicago. Analysts believe that the drop is just part of fluctuation and the gold price forecast is seen as inclining. This is the time to sell gold coins, gold certificates, bullion or gold jewelry or what ever form of gold could be sold because sooner the stock markets such as NYSE, FTSE, Nikkie etc. will recover and gold prices will drop down rapidly. The investors might move towards gold but it is not advisable to leave the stock markets and enter bullion. The right investors are now selling gold and buying shares rapidly. By the end of this year, the gold prices will rise again because a crash in stock markets is expected due to economic downturn in European countries.

FTSE has dropped to nearly 10 month low. The FTSE 100 is currently at 4,790 points and is still predicted to fall but analysts believe that the market will soon recover and will reach to 5,480 points. The matter of fact is that BP shares are on the rise which is not possible for investors to digest. The market falling and the BP shares rising is creating a panic in the market and investors are not sure about the future of the FTSE. The best time considered for new investors to enter market is now because the rates are lower and the shares prices are least. The investment sector should be targeted by previous market data prioritizing the airlines sector, food sector and energy sector. These sectors are predicted to give maximum returns on investments because their portfolio and market history have shown profits previously after decline. Investment in banking sector should be avoided because banks are also pulling their shares away from the market due to declining market and riskier investments.

The forex market is also getting stronger with weaker dollar and soaring pound. The euro currency exchange rate forecast have shown that the eurozone is likely start recover by the end of this month which will also allow the stock market to gain and incline. The future of the UK stock market is blurry and investors are panic-selling their shares which is not advisable at the moment. Pulling out investments from stock market and investing in Gold certificates due to Gold price rise is now attracting investors because they believe that the gold market provides hedge against the sinking stock market.

View the full FTSE chart at Wikinvest

The recent declining stock and forex markets have increased the gold price. The gold price trend as seen by senior analysts will continue to increase in the month of July and August. Analysts predicted that gold will reach $1261 giving it a 2.2% increase this month. The gold selling have been witnessed around the world in large quantity. Gold in India have seen heavy selling specially gold jewelry which is in demand. The market has yet to be saturated and investors are not interested in gold certificates or bullion because the US and UK stock markets will show progress by the end of July. Gold prices in August will be higher enough for gold investors to sell there gold certificates or bullion and make enormous profit.

Oil prices will also rise this month making energy sector in stock markets more attractive to investors. Gold and Oil is therefore the leading investment tool for players. Gold investments are safest because Gold is subject to market risk but many of the risks associated with gold prices are very different from the risks associated with other assets. There are now investments better than gold but to invest in precious metal means concrete investments. It is also known as hard cash because buyers of shares are comparatively harder to find then the buyers of gold certificates of bullion.

People generally consider Gold as the most safest, secured and highly profitable investments. It is a fact that Gold is very profitable but that is just not the limit. There are investments better than gold which can return more profit overnight or in longer term.

Since gold is now very expensive, currently standing at $1,222.91 which is not affordable for middle class investors or newbies. The extremes at which gold goes now is a 1.9% change.

Investment better than gold is no other than the sister of precious metal; “Silver”

Silver has this tendency of fluctuation and the reason behind is that the silver is not mined or manufactured any more. It is in very limited quantity around the world and no new silver is being discovered which makes it the real precious metal. Silver is used in many electronics and other devices and now the market of silver has risen rapidly which forecasts extreme demand of this metal in the coming time.

Silver moved from $17.42 to $18.40, a rise of $.98/oz., or 5.6% increase which is itself a major investment as compared to gold investments which only returned 1.9%. Financial analysts forecast that the silver will soon be an extremely rare metal and those who will have it would earn profits exceeding 30-35%.

Gold has shown increase as the month of June started and is likely to increase for next 15 days. Analysts predicted that gold will reach $1256 giving it a 2.9% increase but will decline for correction by the end of this month. The decline is considered to be a 1.6% variation and the investors are known to make maximum profit out of this gold price trend. The gold market will be back to peaking prices in the month of July and August as investors predict jewelry trade increase in India. The market has yet to be saturated and investors are not interested in gold certificates or bullion because the US and UK stock markets are likely to show progress this month.

The stock markets are predicted to be inclining at the end of this month which shows stock players have to wait and delay selling/purchasing.  The stocks recovery will throw gold back to 1.6% low making it less attractive for investors. The time is now feasible to invest in stocks rather than gold because gold will only give 5% profit in short term whereas stock market will allow nearly 9% to 11% profit in short term. Oil prices are also on the doldrums but investors are not clear whether to invest in energy shares or not because declining prices and a downward trend means slow or no profit in energy sector of stock markets.

The Insurance sector, especially health insurance is now struggling with price resistance from employers. The health insurers’ expansion and profitability is negative and does not look to go upward in near future. The health care costs have increased faster than the annual premiums which will help avoiding legal operating gains. The forecast for health insurance have increased the ambiguity as health insurance firms try to recover from financial depression.

There are four health care segments – Hospital care, Pharmaceutical market, Medical device market and health insurance market. The recruitment in health insurance market is taking a nosedive whereas hospital care and pharmaceutical markets are prospering as known by their stock market reports and forecasts. The consumers and business owners of medical device markets are uncertain about future and the agents involved in medical health insurance and medical device selling are facing problems as their incomes have plunged rapidly. The market conditions are best known by the firm’s progress and its employees’ prosperity. It is not a good time to invest in insurance companies or to enter the insurance job market as leading insurance companies are facing terrible times. The UK Stock Market Forecast and US Stock Market Forecast has revealed that insurance sector have very minimal gains (if any) and most of the times the insurance sector files bankruptcy which causes the economy to tremble.

It is advisable not to invest in insurance companies and try to minimize your personal insurance unless it is health insurance which is now considered a need. The auto insurance is also not necessary, many people would not digest it but the equation is simple; the car you bought with insurance will cost you double within five year’s insurance payments, if you don’t buy car insurance, the cost of car will be free after five years. Same goes for those who buy medical insurance because almost all medical insurance are term insurance and there are no hefty returns on investments. A better investment option is Gold Investments which have a value and can be cashed at the time of need. At the end of the day, if you won’t need gold for your health recovery, you’ll be armed with gold investments.

That health insurance which is for granted i.e. offered by your employer is better and more convenient because the demerits of health insurance are awful.

Dow have suddenly fallen below 10,000 points and is currently at -9880. Many analysts had forecast that the market would rise after a short fall but due to Euro downfall and North-South Korean crises as reported by the news media, the U.S. Stock Market is in doldrums. The investors have dumped the stocks as tensions gripped the world market. Nearly all investors are concerned about the fall of Euro which has fallen steeply, click to read about Euro News, Analysis and Forecast.

Nasdaq and S&P are sharing the agony as they have also witnessed downfall with the fall of Dow. NASDAQ being a technology market should had an upward trend but as the crises are serious, even the technology market is not safe for investments. The gold market has also fallen but investors are pretty sure that this would not be the recession of US stock market again. The downfall is still known to be for a short period and may not last long as analysts observed. The Oil prices have also witnessed a change of 3% in negativity. The U.S. stock market would witness a downfall of nearly 4% in 3 days period and would not recover soon as expected by the investors. Since Gold Investments are considered to be safer, the falling price of gold doesn’t attract investors because the economy is stable and outlook is positive.

Gold and oil prices have sharply declined in the past 5 days due to issues unclear to investors. It is mainly due to US stock market downfall and euro zone crises which have made the precious metal and gasoline prices to fall.

Gold has witnessed +4.86% change which was a good sign. Now onwards, gold prices shall decline for the next 10 days or so.

Oil has witnessed -13.31% change which still continues to decline till the month of June.

The Gold and Oil markets have been hit by US Stock market as major shares are on the doldrums. It is expected that the market will be recovered soon.