new gold

A new generation of fortune hunters is seeking riches under the sands of Saudi Arabia.

As far as I can tell, there are only three constituencies outside the mining or commodities-trading industries who have historically demonstrated consistent enthusiasm for acquiring gold: street pavers in heaven, leprechauns, and survivalists.

I can't speak to the status of the first two, but the last are enjoying a tremendous boom in influence.

The point of diversification is to provide shelter from market storms, but suddenly all of the bunkers seem to have been blown away at once.

In January, U.S. stocks lost 6%, foreign markets fell 10%, and emerging markets dropped a shocking 13%.