Traders are persevering with to diversify their portfolios with publicity to ‘protected haven’ property corresponding to gold, silver and to a lesser extent platinum.

Based on valuable metals vendor BullionVault, the variety of first-time consumers within the metals over the previous three months has been operating at 5 occasions the extent of final 12 months. That is regardless of a tail-off within the worth of all three metals prior to now couple of weeks.

Over the previous 12 months, gold has carried out the strongest, rising in sterling phrases by some 28 per cent whereas silver and platinum costs have elevated by 20 and three per cent respectively.

Over the previous 12 months, gold has carried out the strongest, rising in sterling phrases by 28%

Adrian Ash, director of analysis at BullionVault, says: ‘The variety of folks searching for the relative worth stability provided by valuable metals has by no means been better.

‘Gold and silver, particularly, are being seen nearly as good hedges if inflation picks up at some stage.’ 

Traders should purchase the metals in varied methods. They will purchase cash and bars by means of organisations corresponding to Royal Mint, though 20 per cent VAT is payable on silver and platinum. 

There’s additionally a ramification – something between 5 per cent and 10 per cent – between shopping for and promoting costs.

Alternatively, they’ll purchase the metals which are then held in a vault, avoiding VAT within the course of. Main gamers embrace BullionVault and Goldmoney. 

The ultimate route is by way of a inventory market listed fund: one which both tracks the worth of a selected metallic (an change traded fund) or invests in a portfolio of mining firm shares.