Understanding how investors value gold begins with recognising that it is fundamentally different from shares or bonds. Investors usually value companies by analysing earnings, free cash flow, dividends and returns on capital. Gold generates no profits, dividends or cash flow, yet it has remained one of the world's most important investment assets for centuries.
Markets spent the second week of June navigating a more challenging environment as rising energy prices, persistent inflation pressures and elevated bond yields complicated the outlook for monetary policy. While economic growth remained broadly resilient, investors became increasingly focused on whether inflation could remain higher for longer, particularly as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued supporting energy prices. As a result, bond markets, currencies and sector performance were largely driven by shifting interest-rate expectations rather than growth optimism alone.