“If you raise the effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.”
That was Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) co-founder Jim Sinegal’s response when then-COO Craig Jelinek suggested raising the price of the warehouse giant’s famous $1.50 hot-dog-and-soda combo.
Rather than back down, Costco switched from Coca-Cola to Pepsi to keep the price intact.
That combo has cost the same since 1984. If it had kept pace with inflation, you’d be paying about $4.60 today. However, Costco’s refusal to raise the price became part of its brand – a promise of stability in a world that rarely offers any.
That’s why it makes so much sense that Costco now sells gold bars. The same company that refuses to inflate the price of its hot dog has become a place where customers can literally buy one of the oldest stores of value on Earth.
Gold and Costco’s hot dog share the same appeal: enduring value. Both represent trust – something people cling to when everything else feels unstable.
This year, investors have flocked to gold – pushing prices into record-breaking territory. In fact, just last week, the precious metal surpassed $4,000 per ounce and is now up more than 60% year-to-date.
There are three big forces fueling gold’s incredible run, and in today’s Market 360, I’ll explain what they are, the companies benefiting from the gold rally… and the best way to position your portfolio to profit.
Force No. 1: Political Chaos Abroad
The first major factor behind gold’s rapid advance is political chaos abroad.
Specifically, Japan has just named its fifth prime minister (Sanae Takaichi) in the past five years. The Nikkei index surged on her promise of more fiscal spending, but that puts the Bank of Japan in a tough position. It won’t be able to raise key interest rates, so the yen dropped nearly 2% relative to the U.S. dollar.
Meanwhile, over in Europe, the story isn’t much better. France lost its new prime minister after only three weeks. Sebastian Lecorne became the shortest-serving French Prime Minister since 1958 – and the third since 2024. He was ousted due to his inability to finalize a budget with a Parliament controlled by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party.
Add these developments to the already-long list of global instability (Ukraine, the Middle East, etc.). When governments are this unstable, investors start looking for something that isn’t – and that’s gold.
But the political mess overseas isn’t the only driver of this rally… here at home, Washington’s doing its part, too.
Force No. 2: Dysfunction in D.C.
The federal government shut down in the early hours of October 1 after Congress failed to agree on the federal budget. The primary sticking point was healthcare spending.
Democrats refuse to pass a budget without new healthcare provisions, while Republicans are holding the line on cost controls and entitlement reforms.
This standoff has now stretched into its third week, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed. Confidence in Washington’s ability to govern is hanging by a thread.
The irony of this shutdown is that it’s self-defeating. It curtails consumer spending – because when federal workers are uncertain about their jobs or paychecks, they tighten their belts. That drags on growth, weakens confidence and makes the market even more anxious about what’s next.
But uncertainty, as frustrating as it is, is precisely what fuels gold. The more unpredictable the headlines out of Washington become, the more investors look for something they can trust.
Gold doesn’t depend on a budget agreement. It doesn’t shut down. It doesn’t get caught in partisan gridlock. It just is – steady, reliable and always open for business.
And that reliability matters now more than ever. Because while Washington is fighting over spending and healthcare, the next big catalyst for gold is already forming – this time, at the Federal Reserve.
Force No. 3: Fading Faith in the Fed
Lastly, there is a growing lack of confidence in global central banks.
The Federal Reserve is expected to cut key interest rates by 0.25% at its October Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting later this month. While that would mark the second rate cut of the year, there’s still a growing consensus that the Fed waited too long to act and is now playing catch-up.
Many economists (myself included) believe the central bank must make larger and more frequent cuts to keep the economy from stalling. The labor market is showing cracks, and the housing sector remains under pressure. Despite this, their hesitation has already damaged confidence. Markets see a Fed that’s reacting instead of leading – a Fed that fell behind the curve when inflation was rising and is now scrambling to make up for lost time.
Meanwhile, other central banks are wrestling with the same problem. The Bank of Japan is trapped by debt and decades of easy money. The European Central Bank is trying to balance recession risks with political instability.
Meanwhile, most of the “advanced” countries of the world are trapped in demographic decline. When your population is shrinking – in other words, they’re ageing and young people aren’t having children – it’s really hard to grow your economy.
The bottom line: Policymakers are running out of room – and investors are running out of faith.
The New Era for Gold
Overall, all of these factors – political instability, the U.S. government shutdown and fading faith in central banks – have driven gold prices to new heights this year. And in turn, they’ve driven gold mining stocks even higher.
I’ve been on top of this surge from the very beginning – steadily adding pick after pick to my Accelerated Profits Buy List as this uptrend gained momentum. And it’s paying off. My gold recommendations have already delivered gains of 23% in 5 weeks, 134% in 10 months and even 298% in a little over a year.
But here’s the thing… the ride isn’t over yet.
The same forces that pushed gold above $4,000 are still in play, and the strongest companies in the space continue to lead. That’s why, just this week, I added another gold stock to my Accelerated Profits Buy List – my 10th gold position – because this isn’t a fad… it’s a new era for gold.
My Accelerated Profits service is built for moments like this – when the market’s chaotic, but the strongest stocks are quietly sprinting ahead. It’s my fastest-moving trading system, designed to deliver quick, targeted gains regardless of what’s happening on Wall Street.
These aren’t flukes. They’re the result of disciplined stock selection and a system that identifies companies with superior fundamentals. In fact, my Accelerated Profits Buy List is currently characterized by 31.6% forecasted annual sales growth and 53.6% forecasted annual earnings growth.
That strength is exactly what gives my Accelerated Profits Buy List the edge heading into this next phase of the gold rally. As the Fed cuts rates, inflation lingers and global instability continues, the companies leading this charge aren’t slowing down… they’re accelerating.
If you want to be on the right side of the shift – to protect your wealth and grow it fast – I urge you to join Accelerated Profits today.
Sincerely,
Louis Navellier
The Editor hereby discloses that as of the date of this email, the Editor, directly or indirectly, owns the following securities that are the subject of the commentary, analysis, opinions, advice, or recommendations in, or which are otherwise mentioned in, the essay set forth below:
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST)
