Gold and Silver Outshine the Equities Market
Stock markets fell in August across North America and Europe in general. 🙁 But there is a silver lining. Precious metal companies managed to do quite well. A couple of months ago I explained why silver is a great investment for 2019, and how it’s more undervalued than gold. I disclosed buying 300 shares of Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) in July because I thought the price of silver would continue to rise. Thankfully it did. My net worth today is $2,000 higher because of that one investment decision. 🙂 Hurray!
Besides WPM I also own shares in Newmont Goldcorp (NGT.) If I didn’t have so much silver and gold related assets in my portfolio my net worth surely would have dropped in August. But diversification saved the day and I managed to grow my wealth by $4,100.
Gold had been in the dumps for several years since 2013. Its price dipped to a low of US$ 1060/oz in 2016. However things are looking very different now. Since the start of this year gold’s price has grown by 21%. It’s one of the best performing asset classes of 2019 so far, currently trading at $1548/oz. But silver has performed even better at 24% return year to date. The price of silver had a large rally last week and is now sitting at $19.17/oz. 🙂 Precious metals are making a comeback this year, due to more dovish monetary policies worldwide and the uncertainty of the U.S. and China trade war.
Liquid’s Financial Update
*Side Incomes: = $2,700
- Part time job =$900
- Freelance = $400
- Dividends =$1000
- Interest = $400
*Discretionary Spending: = $2,200
- Food = $400
- Miscellaneous = $300
- Interest expense = $1300
*Net Worth: (ΔMoM)
- Total Assets: = $1,372,600 (+600)
- Cash = $7,600 (+2100)
- Canadian stocks = $189,500 (+300)
- U.S. stocks = $135,300 (-1600)
- U.K. stocks = $20,700 (-800)
- Retirement = $134,800 (+200)
- Mortgage Funds = $36,600
- P2P Lending = $36,100 (+400)
- Home = $367,000 (assessed land value)
- Farms = $445,000
- Total Debts: = $389,700 (-3,500)
- Mortgage = $186,900 (-400)
- Farm Loans = $163,400 (-400)
- Margin Loans = $35,400 (-700)
- Line of Credit = $4,000 (-2000)
*Total Net Worth = $982,900 (+$4,100 / +0.4%)
All numbers are in $CDN at 0.75/USD
I have been an advocate of gold and silver since 2011, suggesting everyone should have at least a little bit of each in their portfolios. The value of my 1 kilogram Arctic coin has held up nicely in Canadian dollars. I have been slowly buying more bullion over the years at lower prices than today and stashing them away.
The problem with holding precious metals is they don’t pay a dividend like many stocks do. So most of my money is kept in the financial markets, and only 3% to 5% of my assets is held in gold and silver to combat inflationary pressures. Gold usually doesn’t do well when the economy is humming along, but during times like 2019, it really shines. 😀
The best time to buy gold and silver are during those dull years, such as between 2013 and 2018, when precious metals didn’t really go anywhere. That’s what it means to have a long term investment mindset. 🙂 Most people don’t do this and simply try to chase the market or short term trend. That’s why most people don’t become rich. By the time a cyclical asset becomes exciting and popular again the opportunity to buy it at a low price is lost.
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Random Useless Fact:
Lotteries are advertised most aggressively in poorer neighborhoods. The poorest third of households buy half of all lotto tickets, according to a Duke University study.
If I had a dollar everytime someone called gold a pet rock and how it doesnt produce any income, I’d be retired by now 🙂
I got a lot of hate when I started selling dividend paying stocks and started buying gold & silver equities in 2016-2017. But when a sector is hated so much, you have to take a second look. Im glad I did and now looks like gold & silver are doing what they are supposed to do during these turbulent times. Let the next bull run begin and Im looking forward to offload to the chart chasers.
Interestingly, WPM outperforming FNV. I own both 🙂
cheers
R2R
That’s great dude. Buying gold and silver equities was a great call on your part. FNV price has doubled since 2016. 🙂 I might buy some as well on the next dip.
I was buying silver in 2009-2010, the actual bouillon stuff. Still have about 60-70 ounces in my safe. It was $15/ounce then, and in April-May 2011 it shot up to nearly $50/ounce. I should have pulled the trigger then and sold it – tripled my investment, but was too greedy to do it. Oh well S***t happens.
I’m sure they’ll reach $50/oz again some day. 🙂
Any thoughts in having gold ETFs instead of stocks like Wheaton?
ETFs are a good way to own gold. Compared to gold/silver stocks, ETFs are less volatile. So if you want to reduce the big ups and downs of the market, ETFs are better to have than mining or streaming companies. But much like a piece of gold, ETFs don’t produce any added value. The price of a gold ETF should pretty much follow the price of gold itself. But the advantage is the liquidity you get. It’s easier to buy/sell a gold ETF than physical gold. The disadvantage is the management fee. The fee is usually pretty low, maybe 0.40% per year, the equivalent of $40 on a $10,000 investment. But that can add up over time if you plan to hold it for a long time.
Personally I like to just own gold coins and store it myself. I also like stocks such as Wheaton because it provides additional value through company growth, and pay out dividends (although not a lot.)
Hey Liquid,
Great to see you are in positive gain in August. I hope you might have hit the million dollar milestone after the September rally (September 05) :). Congrats!
Best Regards,
Thanks. I didn’t quite reach $1 million in August, but it might finally happen this month. Assuming my normal savings rate, I just need my portfolio to grow organically by 1.5% to hit a 7 figures net worth.:)
Great to read you are still on the rise… long term execution of the plan formulated long ago keeps marching forward… I hold some physical bullion both silver and gold. It is always nice to sit and touch and hold it as reminder of what my wife and i have accomplished overtime. Always think long, and be adaptable… My sole gold equity has been flying the past couple years Kirkland Lake, KL-T. I was freedom 39 😉 – Cheers
That’s the first time I heard of that stock. It has done so well lately. I wish I would have known about the company years ago. 🙂
Hey liquid,
If I could make a suggestion 😁
I was wondering if you could make a post about when is the right time to refinance farm or home mortgages to reduce monthly expense and increase cash flow for investments.
Like, if original balance 200k and after 10 yrs balance is 150k is it better to cash out of that and finance again at 200k or refinance at 150k to get cash flow up?
Thanks!
Hey Edwin. That’s a good idea. I’ll probably write a post about that next week. 🙂
It would depend on where interest rates are, and whether or not you could do something productive with the extra money.