Supply and demand
Above-ground stocks, end 2005
Gold’s physical characteristics, its relative scarcity and its global acceptance as a means of payment mean it has a wide range of uses: as adornment, decoration, in dentistry, electronics, as a safe haven, a store of value, the earliest international money, a US dollar hedge, an inflation hedge, a defensive and speculative investment asset, a vital asset for women in traditional Hindu and Muslim cultures, the only payment for real estate in Vietnam and more.
This extensive appeal and functionality is underpinned by the supply and demand dynamics of the gold market:
