Palladium prices have recently gone through the roof, surpassing platinum and forcing many to use it as a more affordable alternative. What forces are at work behind these price spikes and what can investors, collectors and industrialists expect going forward?

In a famous exchange between former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and Congressman Ron Paul, Bernanke was asked by Paul if he thought gold was money. Ben responded by saying that gold wasn’t money but a precious metal, and Congressman  Paul pointed out that the precious metal has been used as money for over 5,000 years. Below are some reasons why the Congressman is correct.

Although gold is well known for its investment value, little is said about its industrial use. In fact, billionaire Warren Buffet has heavily criticized the metal in the past, saying that it is basically dug up out of the ground only to be put back into a vault underground where it is then guarded. However, the truth is that the metal in fact does have a number of industrial uses, which are likely to increase in the future due to advances in technology.

Due to the current low price of silver compared to gold, the cost of mining and processing it frequently surpasses the market price by a substantial margin. Below is an analysis of what this means for the market, and how future investors can benefit.

Total gold demand within China is increasing, and this has important geopolitical implications, one which will ultimately impact both the gold price and those who mine and invest in it. Below are some reasons for this demand, and what it means for the future.

For years, silver enthusiasts have been making predictions of spectacular future prices, due to a combination of low silver supply, economic demand, advances in technology and the heavy debt carried by nations worldwide. Some point to the recent crisis in Venezuela as a sign of things to come. However, since 2011 silver prices per ounce have actually fallen by 70 percent, going from about $50 ounce to around $14 an ounce by the end of 2018. This has discouraged many, prompting them to sell their positions in silver. But below are some reasons why the low silver price shouldn’t be of concern.