The bank cites “a sharp deterioration in risk sentiment following soft macroeconomic data in December and renewed concerns about the future direction of growth.”
From CNBC:
Goldman Sachs has found the safe haven gold more attractive after a volatile December.
The bank on Thursday raised its gold forecasts to $1,325, $1,375 and $1,425 per troy ounce over the next three, six and 12 months, respectively, from $1,250, $1,300 and $1,350 per troy ounce. Based on gold’s current price, that forecast represents a 10.7% increase over the next 12 months.
“Going forward gold will be supported primarily by growing demand for defensive assets. The same is also true of central bank buying, with rising geopolitical tensions incentivizing more central banks to re-enter the gold market,” Goldman’s Jeffrey Currie said in a note to clients on Thursday.
Fears on slowing economic growth and the uncertainties around the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy have stirred the financial markets for a few months. Risk assets took a big hit in 2018, with the stock market suffering the worst December since the Great Depression. But during this volatile time, gold has outperformed the markets, returning more than 4% since the start of December, according to Goldman. The SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) returned about 5% in December.
“The last few weeks have seen a sharp deterioration in risk sentiment following soft macroeconomic data in December and renewed concerns about the future direction of growth, particularly the risk of U.S. growth catching down towards weaker economies,” Currie noted…