Why Gold’s Liquidity Crunch Could Be a Buying Opportunity

Since reaching an all-time high of just under $5,600 in late January, gold has fallen to within the $4,400 range by late March. Paul Wong, market strategist at Sprott, released a special report discussing the precious metal’s recent pullback: Why Gold Has Fallen: A Liquidity Story, Not a Broken Thesis.

Investors have long seen gold as a safe haven amid market volatility, though its recent fall may counter that narrative. In the Sprott special report, Wong argued that this is a classic “liquidity story.” A story in which gold’s sell-off is driven out of necessity rather than conviction.

See More: Gold’s Sell-Off Is About Liquidity, Not Fundamentals

The primary driver of the most recent sell-off is likely forced deleveraging. Volatility in both equities and fixed income may be forcing investors to liquidate positions in order to raise cash. Given gold’s rally the past couple of years, this need for cash is pushing more investors to reduce their precious metal holdings to meet liquidity requirements.

“Gold wasn’t sold on conviction; it became a source of cash,” Wong said in the report.

“Gold was a very popular holding and was widely held by funds,” he added. “As portfolios were forced to shrink… gold was sold alongside equities, credit, and other non-energy assets, not because investors suddenly became bearish on gold, but because it was a source of liquidity.”

The same sell-off is also being witnessed with central banks who have been the heaviest purchasers during gold’s run higher. As a result of geopolitical conflict in Iran, “the Hormuz oil shock hit energy markets and quietly drained the reserve flows that had been supporting gold,” Wong said.

This reduced momentum in central bank buying has, in effect, stifled the precious metal’s rally.

“Gold does not require outright selling to fall; the loss of incremental buying pressure is sufficient,” Wong added. “When marginal demand falls from very strong to nonexistent, prices adjust sharply even in the absence of any forced selling.”

Sprott reminded investors that this new dynamic in gold prices isn’t new. The 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic were prime examples of when investors ditched gold for dollars.

“In both 2008 and 2020, gold initially sold off sharply during periods of acute financial stress,” the report said. “In each case, gold was sold not because it failed as a hedge but because it was one of the last remaining sources of liquidity. Once forced selling ran its course and policy responses followed, gold rallied strongly to all-time highs within months.”

That said, this could be an ideal opportunity to buy the dip in gold. The Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS) and the Sprott Goldminers ETF (SGDM B-) can offer pathways to exposure. PHYS offers easy access to pure-play gold exposure while allowing investors to convert their fund shares into physical bullion. Another option for exposure is via miners through funds like SGDM. If gold prices were to resume their rally, supportive services like mining may also exhibit bullishness.

In the long-term horizon, energy scarcity, fiscal strain, and high debt help strengthen the case for gold exposure.

“The forces weighing on gold today are likely to drive its next bull run,” Wong said.

Bearish means having a negative or pessimistic outlook, typically expecting prices of an asset, sector, or market to decline. Bullish mean having a positive or optimistic outlook, typically expecting prices of an asset, sector, or market to rise.

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