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Gold Going to $800 Dollars?!
Blanchard and Co., a precious commodities and rare coin brokerage in the Central Business District, New Orleans, has bullishly forecast gold prices climbing steadily to $300 an ounce, then $400 and $500.
With gold futures for April delivery topping $560 Feb. 24, Blanchard’s new prediction still raises eyebrows — $800 before year’s end.
Blanchard CEO and President Donald Doyle Jr. said the precious metals market is on the cusp of an upswing.
“We’re in the middle of a cycle. The whole commodity complex has declined by two-thirds over a period of 20 years,” Doyle said. “The price of gold and the price of oil in the latter part of the ’90s hit 20-year lows so you had an oversold market that was ready for a recovery. And then you add to that the fact there’s a tremendous amount of demand coming from countries like India, China and throughout Asia.
“It’s obvious no market goes up forever but it appears we’re just at the beginning of a long bull market. Most analysts predict the market probably has a decade to run before it turns in the other direction.”
Doyle said lengthy cycles are the norm in the precious commodities market because production rises to meet the increased demand when prices go up. As supply increases, the market and prices stabilize and then go down.
Neal Ryan, Blanchard director of research, said hedge funds created some false increases in gold prices through speculative buying, but he sees an upside to the tumult.
“There’s a lot of volatility in the market but at the same time that’s good because it brings a lot of interest in the market,” Ryan said. “The prospects for precious metals moving forward ... even though they are decade highs is potentially up to 50 to 100 percent on the upside.
“This year we’re putting our target at $750 for gold by the end of the year, possibly above that if we see some certain things happen.”
Doyle was more bullish, forecasting $800 by year’s end.
Ryan also expects increased commodities investment to drive prices. With just one-tenth of 1 percent of the money in the stock market, he said, demand for precious metals would increase exponentially. Private investment and government portfolio diversification — like foreign countries choosing to back their currency with gold versus the U.S. dollar — should lead to a “massive increase” of funds into the metals market, said Ryan.
Fool's Gold or do we get off the train now?
