# Gold Prices and Global Economic Developments Gold prices and economic dynamics in global markets - **Source:** [The Big Picture](https://ritholtz.com) - **Published:** 2026-07-14 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/01cd4ba8-1b83-4aaa-ac19-f1c2c94072fb ## Decline in Gold Prices Following tensions between the U.S. and Iran, gold prices retreated from record highs. Investors are questioning their confidence in safe-haven assets like gold amid geopolitical uncertainties. ## Passive Investment Strategies Hendrik Bessembinder's research examines how 'do-nothing' portfolios constructed from S&P 500 index stocks perform in the long term. Equal-weighted portfolios outperform value-weighted ones. ## U.S. and China's Economic Strategies Since the 1990s, the U.S. and China have pursued different strategies in the digital and physical economies. The U.S. leads in internet platforms and software, while China excels in infrastructure and manufacturing. ## Global Trade Redirection The world is quietly rerouting trade and alliances around the U.S., questioning America's global economic leadership and increasing costs. ## Drone Warfare in Ukraine Ground robots in Ukraine are taking on tasks from evacuating the wounded to holding trenches. Drone technology is reshaping the nature of modern warfare. ## Economic Impacts of Climate Change Climate change is creating unprecedented risks for modern global industrial civilization. Extreme weather events threaten economic stability. ## Sources covering this story - https://ritholtz.com/2026/07/10-tuesday-am-reads-481/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._