Hard asset

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In finance, a "hard asset" may be real estate, commodities, or energy. [1]

For example, gold and silver are regarded as "hard" assets. [2] Other types of raw materials, such as oil, copper, and aluminium, are also considered "hard" assets. [2]

Such assets are distinguished from "soft" assets such as stocks and bonds. [2] "Hard assets" are susceptible to bubbles. [1]

In traditional intermarket analysis, hard assets were considered an inflation hedge, in that the value of hard assets increases when the value of soft assets decreased, and vice versa. However, this is not always the case; sometimes the value of these assets moves in the same direction. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 Assaf Razin, Understanding Global Crises: An Emerging Paradigm (MIT Press, 2014), at 1.1.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Charles D. Kirkpatrick II & Julie R. Dahlquist, Technical Analysis: The Complete Resource for Financial Market Technicians (FT Press: 3d ed. 2015).