It's boom time for Gold ETFs as volatility turns equity market risky

Gold can be a store of value and some longer-term trends make it attractive, according to Dave Campbell, a principal at BOS

As US stocks approach a bear market, investors are seeking shelter in gold exchange-traded funds typically seen as a safety play in times of uncertainty.

The $32.4 billion SPDR Gold Shares fund, ticker GLD, saw inflows of more than $643 million one day this week, the most since July 2016. The fund has received cash infusions for three straight sessions, totaling $846 million. Similarly, the iShares Gold Trust, or IAU, took in about $114 million since Friday.

Inflows into gold ETFs come on the back of an extended downturn in the S&P 500 Index, which has slid 17 percent this quarter as