[Nachum]

Gold and oil are not manufactured items and Asia can do nothing to produce them in large quantities.

Then why is the price artificially low?

And, re:oil, I would maintatin that gas is still at very high levels compared to the amount of oil produced right now.

[entropy12]

One reason....India is one of the biggest buyer of retail gold in the world. India just passed a law imposing higher tariffs on imported gold. Indian purchases have dived as a result.

[entropy12]

As for oil, the demand worldwide, especially Asia is increasing at a high rate. You have not seen a really bad traffic jam unless you visit Beijing, Mumbai or Singapore.