Investors searching for a safe haven have pushed gold prices to $950 a troy ounce. In their rush to safety, they have also boosted the price of silver, platinum and palladium.

In fact, the well-reported 7.5 per cent rise in gold prices this year pales against the 20.5 per cent gain in silver, 14.5 per cent rise in platinum and 15.6 per cent increase in palladium.