Is now the right time to get out of gold?

As equity markets wane and politicians dither, gold has moved firmly back into the limelight recently, with investor demand for the precious metal sending its price rebounding back near record highs.

Gold hit an 11-month high of $1,794 earlier this month, after ECB President Mario Draghi said everything is in place for the central bank to buy the bonds of troubled eurozone countries, prompting fresh fears over the strength of the euro. While gold bullion has enjoyed a strong rebound, gold shares have lagged behind, and despite a recent rally they still trail the gains made by the precious metal itself. For gold and resources funds, the slump in gold equities has hit performance for much of the period, and left investors looking at some hefty losses before the recent rally. But ...