Billionaire investor John Paulson declared that gold (XAUUSD:CUR), (GLD) is in the early stages of a long-term bull market, reinforcing his conviction in precious metals by announcing he will become co-chair of NovaGold (NG) following a newly announced merger. Shares of NovaGold (NG) rose 11.65% on Wednesday’s afternoon trade. In an interview with CNBC, Paulson—who became a household name after betting against mortgage debt during the housing bubble—explained why he continues to press his long-held gold thesis. "Gold is becoming the most sought-after reserve currency in the world, replacing fiat ... (full story)