Nova Sofo

Prices for precious metals, especially gold, are up because demand is up.

Last year, gold prices rose 64%, the most since 1979.

Central banks are buying gold as are traders looking to diversify away from the U.S.

dollar, which has weakened against other currencies.

Part of this has to do with the Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts.

It also has to do with the higher tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and global uncertainty around trade policies.

The VIX volatility index, Wall Street's fear gauge, is up 17 percent just this month.

It peaked last week as President Trump was ratcheting up threats over a new trade war with European countries over his desire to acquire Greenland.

He backed off those threats and the VIX fell.

I'm Novosafo for Marketplace.