Despite a recent minor rally against some major foreign currencies, the U. S. dollar is under mounting pressure around the world, and has lost its luster and “safe harbor” monetary status.

Following are some interesting articles regarding the weakening dollar, record gold prices and various predictions regarding international implications of both.

Lazard Asset Management switches share value from U.S. Dollar to Pound Sterling:

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091023005211&newsLang=en

Gold vs. NADAQ 

“Call me cynical if you wish, but I believe a one or two ounces of a shiny metal will be equal in value to the entire Dow Jones Industrial Average before this bust is over. It happened in the 1930s and it happened in the 1970s, both during the context of secular bear markets in stocks like the one we are smack dab in the middle of right now.”

http://www.kitco.com/ind/Brochert/oct132009.html

Silver Shines Brighter Than Gold in 2009

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/107888/amid-surging-gold-prices-silver-quietly-shines.html?mod=bb-banking_budgeting

Oil vs. Gold

http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/article/347728/Commodity-Strategy-Gold-Has-More-Upside-Potential-vs.-Oil-Strazzullo-says?tickers=gld,uso,oih,dxo,gdx,xle,oil&sec=topStories&pos=9&asset=&ccode=

In summary, gold and silver prices should be monitored by every skittish investor and should be considered as hedge for at least a portion of their longer term portfolio.  Foreign stocks, securities and currencies may also be attractive if the dollar continues to fall.