Gold May Top $6,000, Silver $600: Asset Manager

Published: Monday, 5 Sep 2011 | 7:24 AM ET 

By: Katy Barnato
Assistant Editor, CNBC

• 
  

Gold prices may reach $6,200 per ounce in a bull run which will “end all major bull markets,” Urs Gmuer, asset manager at Dolefin, a Swiss investment advice firm, told CNBC.

Tetra Images | Getty Images

Gmuer’s prediction is based on analysis of the last major gold boom of the 1970s, during which gold prices rose from $35 per ounce to $850 per ounce. Gmuer said that in the current bull run, prices would be pushed upwards by a protracted period of global economic difficulty—potentially lasting years—during which investors would continue to search for so-called safe havens. 

“Gold prices have risen over the last few years, as the macroeconomic picture has become worse. The deterioration of the fundamental situation has now gone even further.

“Purchases by investors of gold will be based on fears of systemic risk or banking crashes,” Gmuer said. 

The investment manager said that as no "safe" currencies remain, cautious investors had no choice but to opt for precious metals.

“The ultimate currency, which has stood the test of time, which has no political support behind it, is gold. Nobody can print gold out of a machine or a PC. 

more