As of December 2023, U.S. stocks had an average 10-year return rate of 12.75 percent, whereas gold had a return rate of 4.57 percent.
Gold mining overview
In light of recent technological advancements shaping the gold mining market, global gold production has been rather stable in the last few years, hovering around 3,000 metric tons since 2020. Among nations, Australia holds the highest mine reserves worldwide, followed by Russia and South Africa. However, it is noteworthy that China leads in actual gold production, surpassing countries with the highest mine gold reserves.
Gold as a financial security
Known for its ability to provide diversification to investment portfolios, gold has exhibited a positive trend in its price over the years, reaching its peak value of 1,800 U.S. dollars in 2022. Gold’s return rate was particularly high in the early 2000s, and, despite experiencing a decline during the pandemic, it demonstrated a remarkable recovery, reaching nearly 25 percent—a peak value in the last decade as of 2020. However, as of 2023, it recorded a rate of 4.09 percent. Furthermore, gold serves as a valuable asset for a nation's economic stability, with the United States holding the highest amount ofgold reserves worldwide.
