Gold (GC=F) rose above $5,000 an ounce on Sunday, hitting the major milestone earlier than Wall Street expected, raising questions about the stunning speed of the rally in precious metals. Gold’s surge has become a hallmark of the so-called “debasement trade,” as investors buy assets to hedge against losing purchasing power while soaring government debt around the world raises concerns. "The rise in precious metals prices is breathtaking and profoundly scary," wrote Robin Brooks, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution on Sunday, noting the rise in gold prices is "part of something much bigger." "We’re ... (full story)