Gold hit a record high Dec. 7, climbing to $1,431 an ounce.
At press time, however, it had fallen to $1,414.

The gold price soared above $1,400 for the first time on
Nov. 8.
It then fell but climbed past the benchmark again on Dec. 3.

Analysts called the metal’s continued rise a reaction to
investor anxiety about the European debt crisis and the Federal Reserve’s
policy of monetary easing.

The silver price is also at historically high levels. On
Dec. 6, it hit $30 an ounce for the first time in 30 years.

JCK