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Gold can act as a hedge against inflation, but it doesn't reliably rise whenever inflation does. Some investors use gold to help preserve purchasing power as prices rise, but inflation is only one of several factors that can influence gold prices.
If you've researched gold as an investment, you've probably come across financial experts asserting that gold is a hedge against inflation. Understanding what that actually means — and what it doesn't — can help put gold's role in an investment portfolio into perspective.
An inflation hedge is an investment or strategy intended to help offset the loss of purchasing power caused by rising prices.
As inflation rises, each dollar buys a little less than it did before. For example, imagine a cart of groceries that costs $100 today. If those same groceries cost $105 next year, your $100 no longer buys as much as it did before.