That's the question Harvard Business School's Diego Comin wanted to answer. His research analyzed how quickly 15 different technologies -including steamships, the telegraph, the Internet, MRI scanners, electricity - have been adopted by 166 different countries over the past two centuries to determine if there is a relationship between a country's historical rate of adoption and its per capita income.

This week, gold bugs were rewarded with the long-awaited positive momentum in the yellow metal, and on Friday, bullion rose to about $1,670. After falling below the 200-day moving average, gold had been stuck in quicksand for several months. With the jumps in the price this week, bullion swiftly rose above this critically important long-term moving average.

Although the Love Trade (purchasing gold for coins or jewelry) is on ice for now, a relatively new gold buyer has been warming up to gold. Central bank purchases hit a record high since the official sector became gold buyers three years ago. If this trend continues over the remainder of 2012, central banks will be entering a new territory of gold buying that has not been seen since the early 1960s and since the end of the Bretton Woods System in 1971.

At the end of January 2008, I posted a discussion about how the book The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki could explain gold's price climb. The book's premise was basically that "large groups of people are smarter than an elite few." Even before the height of the global crisis, there was a "wise crowd" of investors who had been buying gold as a safe haven from currency risks and the trillions of dollars invested in derivatives, and as a way to recycle petrodollars.

One of the most fascinating aspects when watching a sporting event like the Olympics is the historical statistics highlighting the tremendous advances in athleticism over the years. In the spirit of the events this summer, BTN Research compared gold's advancement from the beginning of the games in Beijing to the London Olympics.

A surprising wealth of information about the world's most prosperous people can be discovered in two new reports. The Chinese Millionaire Wealth Report 2012 found that there are now a million millionaires in China. On average, a Chinese millionaire is 39 years old, has an average of four luxury watches, vacations in France, and owns a business. KPMG;s The Wealth Report 2012 found that there are 18,000 centa-millionaires in Southeast Asia, China and Japan.

The world watched in awe as American swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time. It's inspiring to see the incredible results of his tremendous sacrifice and commitment. Investing in global markets requires the same sort of stamina, especially at times like this week, when the month's reading on the manufacturing industry was not encouraging. The J.P. Morgan Global Manufacturing PMI of 48.4 for July was the lowest since June 2009.

After the first few months of President Barack Obama's term in office, I wrote about the carnival rollercoaster the market was riding. Looking at the blue line below, that post may have foreshadowed his tenure! The average of four-year presidential cycles from 1953 through 2008 shows that the S&P 500 Index generally remains flat for almost the first two years, before heading higher in the second half.

Global investors constantly need to be watchful of individual biases, impaired thinking and emotional reactions that can have an adverse effect on a portfolio. One of our values at U.S. Global Investors is to always be curious to learn and improve, and the Investor Alert was borne from a belief that shareholders want to understand the very subtle nuances of biases and misconceptions. I have selected a few that I believe challenge the paradigms of investing.

We believe there are many great American companies to invest in. We like those that are growing their top line revenues and paying robust dividends. Currently 47 percent of the S&P 500 stocks pay a dividend yielding more than a 10-year Treasury, demonstrating the resiliency and strength of American enterprises.

Among investors these days, a fellow commodity bull is about as rare as finding a positive story in the media, especially when you look at the results of metals and natural resources during the first half of 2012. Only four commodities on our periodic table pulled off a positive return. Wheat grew the most, rising 13 percent, followed by single-digit rises from corn, gold and copper.

About 1.25 million Americans would pay more in taxes next year if President Barack Obamas latest plan is approved. The White House wants to allow taxes to rise for households making more than $250,000 by boosting the top marginal tax rates to 36 and 39.6 percent (currently, its 33 and 35 percent). In an environment where government policy favors higher taxes, investments that lower a tax bill can look attractive.

Tremendous population growth, changes in government policies, development of new technologies, urbanization trends work the same way. Its what Jeremy Grantham called the great paradigm shift and they have equally dramatic effects on how we invest in commodities, change opportunities and adjust for risk. Smart investors look past the rampant negativity in the media to see these patterns and anomalies to determine where the opportunities and threats lie.

Did you know that one of the industries that has seen the best job growth in the U.S. is mining? As you can see below, from the end of December 2007 through May 2012, U.S. employment in the mining sector has increased 16 percent. This percentage change is far better than any other sector, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Dont be limited by linear thinking in your portfolio. As an alternative to low yielding Treasury bonds, consider resources stocks that pay dividends. Weve found that most materials, utilities and energy stocks in the S&P 500 Index pay a dividend higher than the 10-year Treasury: Materials and utilities companies yield an average of 2.3 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively, while energy stocks pay an average yield of 2.2 percent. Nonlinear thinkers have historically benefited from the inclusion of natural resources as part of a balanced portfolio.

Manufacturing around the world weakened in June, according to the JP Morgan Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI). Its reading of 48.9 was the lowest in three years and the first dip below 50 since September 2011. The current reading is also below the three-month moving average for the second month in a row. As you can see on the chart, PMI crossed below the three-month in May.

China is far from perfect: While actors can perfect their lines and use masks to captivate an audience, smart investors know better to use a wealth of information across numerous sources to guide investment decisions. Weigh the evidence and judge for yourself. As my friend, Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald recently said in an interview, A powerful China is coming, and we have two choices. Either we're at the table, or we're on the menu. To him this means, Good news from China is good news for the U.S.; bad news from the Chinese economy is bad news here.

A few months ago, we created two visuals we felt captured the emotions of how people respond to gasoline prices around the U.S. With an increased dependency on our cars these days to get to work, school and grocery stores, the price of gas is a constant reminder of how rich we feel. When it seems as if filling the SUV costs an arm and a leg, we shift patterns by carpooling, forgoing the trip to the beach or decreasing spending elsewhere.

Over the past several months, the markets have tested investors conviction to gold. Since February, the price of the yellow metal has steadily stepped lower, rallying somewhat in May before falling again when Ben Bernanke disappointed by not providing the U.S. with more stimulus. Meanwhile, the dollar gained ground as global investors fled the euro.

Hold tight to your convictions, gold investors. Review your allocation to gold and gold stocks to make sure it remains around 5 to 10 percent of your portfolio. That way the precious metal can act as a shock absorber to help protect from any unexpected bumps in the financial system.

Did you know that at the beginning of the 19th century, China made up the largest share of the worlds GDP? This makes the term Rising China a misnomer, as the country has been simply returning to, instead of rising to, super power, says former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

One should not underestimate what it means to be American; you dont find a feeling quite like it outside the nation. In fact, emerging countries such as Singapore and China are now striving to replicate what my friend Alexander Green calls American exceptionalism. On the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Your Better Life Index based on 11 diverse measures of well-being, the U.S. is highly ranked. Each element measures a feeling of satisfaction with life, including health, education, environment, personal security, life satisfaction, and work-life balance.

Last weekend, I had the chance to experience the thrill of Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada in Montreal. Seeing the incredible fluidity and flexibility of every race car, it got me thinking about how F1 has evolved over the past 60 years. Cars are now aerodynamic like a jet fighter, designed with wings that use the same principle as an aircraft and tires that withstand tremendous forces. Even with all these incredible advancements in technology, rules and regulations have been streamlined to reduce costs and improve safety. Since 1994, there hasnt been a fatal accident in the motorsport.

A positive signal received this week came from Goldman Sachs, when the firm recommended stepping back into the markets in its latest Commodity Watch. Goldman is anticipating a 29 percent return for the S&P GSCI Enhanced Commodity Index over the next 12 months and suggests investors might want to increase their position in commodities.

Following negative data last week, investors were clearly concerned about global growth and anxiously anticipated government actions. While Europe and the U.S. disappointed investors, China surprised on the upside by cutting interest rates. The market reacted positively, as the S&P 500 Index increased 3.7 percent. Its clear the governments tone in China shifted this week with the rate cuts. The government appeared to be comfortable with slower growth, but that position seemed to change as the country took steps to avert a hard landing and cut interest rates to stabilize the economy.

Every month, policymakers track purchasing managers indices (PMI) around the world as they consider fiscal and monetary actions. To us, a PMI is a measure of health of companies around the world, because it includes output, new orders, employment and prices across manufacturing, construction, retail and service sectors. Historically, weve seen Chinas PMI number leading the year-over-year change in exports by three to four months, so when the PMI has increased, a few months later, Chinese exports have historically risen, and vice versa.

When I talk about the Love Trade, India and China are frequently discussed since the two countries have been dominating world jewelry demand. Turkeys love for gold, though, cannot be overlooked, as an estimated 5,000 tons have been accumulating in peoples homes for years. Turkey is now offering incentives for people to store their gold in the bank instead. By acknowledging the hidden wealth of the Eastern European nation, this move will allow banks to lend more money and ultimately improve the countrys current account balance.

Investors arent endorsing U.S. equities today. With all the positive aspects mentioned above, todays low participation in the U.S. stock market is perplexing. Here are two more reasons to invest today: 1) About 620 companies in the S&P 1500 Index are growing their revenues at more than 10 percent; and 2) 428 stocks in the index have an annualized dividend yield higher than the 10-year Treasury.

China just made it a little more affordable to buy a car. Last week, the government announced a one-year, RMB 26.5 billion subsidy program devoted to energy-efficient products. About RMB 6 billion will be set aside for fuel-efficient cars, and the remaining incentives focus on LED lighting, high-efficiency motors, and air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines and water heaters that comply with energy saving standards.

To add alpha, we believe investors need to continually seek pockets of strength amidst todays mire of pessimism. One bright spot weve seen lies just east of Greece: Turkey. Many investors believe banks are the only investment play in Turkey. The sole question for those investors is to hold or not to hold banks. Heres what we think is a better strategy: Invest in undervalued, diverse, smaller companies that will benefit from a resilient consumer, low unemployment rate and sound government policies.

Investors have defriended gold recently in favor of the dollar, as Greek and French voters rejected austerity measures. Greeks have been responding to their escalating debt issues for a while by steadily pulling money from overnight deposits. I often say, money goes where it is best treated, and these deposits will need to find a safe haven.

Demand for gold was relatively resilient in the first quarter of 2012, with global demand falling 5 percent. Marcus Grubb, managing director of investment, calls this slight quarter decline in demand noise in the context of 22 percent rise in the price of gold compared to first quarter of 2011. Also, gold demand was very strong in the first three months of last year. Gold faced a complex quarter, as you can see by looking at jewelry demand by country. There was a significant rise in demand for jewelry from Russia, Egypt, Indonesia, Taiwan, and China, compared to the first quarter of 2011.

Following on the heels of renewed concern over Europes debt situation, China released its monthly economic data. Fixed asset investment, industrial production and retail sales all rose in April, yet growth was not as strong as analysts anticipated. Weak is the word to describe Chinas April figures, says CLSAs Andy Rothman in his Sinology Report. But China wants the ability to manage a stable decline to promote medium-to-long-term structural reforms as well as avoid a hard landing, says CEBM.

Many have compared todays economic recovery to the slow, stagnant growth Americans lived through in the 1970s. I argue theres at least one significant difference: Four decades ago, the world couldnt depend on emerging market growth like it can today. Take a look at Macquarie Researchs chart comparing industrial production (IP) following the 1970s with the output after the downturn in late 2008. The output during the mid-1970s and todays cycle looks very similar over the first two years. The decline experienced around the 31-month mark today also mirrors the drop of the 1970s.

The market reacted strongly to the elevated debt crisis in Europe by liquidating positions in multiple asset classes. Gold fell 3 percent this week, losing its safe haven status as the dollar grew stronger and the 10-year government note headed lower. Seasoned advisors know the markets usually overreact to negative news; they also are very aware of golds normal monthly historical volatility. Throughout the past 20 years of monthly returns, the precious metal generally increased only 0.5 percent in May, and has historically declined in June and July.

Investors seem to be overlooking the fact that Apples products are wants, not needs. Millions of consumers want an iPad and many want a computer, yet, every single person in the world needs global resources. We need companies to grow our food; we need oil, natural gas and coal to fuel our cities. And so do the other 7 billion people on the planet. To outperform the S&P 500 over the long term, we believe investors should overweight their portfolio to the global products and services that people need, not want.

The recovery in U.S. stocks is significant and helps restore confidence in equities. Were pleased to see markets improving, especially following a rough finish in 2011. Yet there lingers a persistent negativity toward emerging markets growth and commodities that prevents many investors from jockeying their portfolios into a position for growth. Rather, they remain spectators on the sidelines, with equity fund outflows continuing.

One catchy investing maxim thats popular this time of year is sell in May and go away, the notion that investors should cash in their investments and take the summer off. We believe its a much better market this year. After following a similar trajectory as the previous year from October to the beginning of March, improving economic data pushed the S&P 500 over 3 percent higher in March 2012 after trending sideways during the same time period last year.

Our investment team has reported in the weekly Investor Alert about a number of positive trends coming out of the Philippines lately, including a narrowing of the budget deficit, easing inflation and rising export numbers. In addition, CLSA reported last fall that, the Philippines increasingly looks like it could be where Indonesia was five years ago in terms of the potential for a multi-year credit and investment cycle to kick in after years of post-Asian Crisis de-leveraging.

We believe in thinking contrarian and keeping a close eye on historical trends to discover inflection points, as stocks tend to eventually revert to their means. For example, in March 2009, we noted significant changes signaling the market had hit rock bottom; following that time through the end of the first quarter, the S&P 500 Index rose more than 100 percent. Todays extreme divergence in oil and gold stocks and their underlying commodities presents a rare opportunity: what these stocks need now are investors to take advantage of it.

In our webcast last week on what to expect from China, Andy Rothman from CLSA outlined the major misconceptions about China. He believes the biggest myth that investors think about China is that its economy is primarily driven by exports. Using two charts which debunk this misconception, Andy explained that domestic investment and domestic consumption have long been the most significant drivers of Chinas economic growth.

If you plan on shopping for bargains in the gold miner department, youre going to fight a crowd. Numerous global investors have been pounding the table for gold stocks, including Marc Faber who said gold shares have become extremely oversold and could rebound in the next few days and Global Portfolio Strategist Don Coxe, who reiterated that gold equities are undervalued compared to the precious metal. A big buyer has been the miners themselves. Mergers and acquisitions in the mining sector have been at an all-time high over the past two years. Theyve been willing to pay a premium too.

It was a challenging week for gold investors. Although the yellow metal has been on a spectacular 11-year bull run, some think golds heyday is over. This March, there seemed to be one main driver eight thousand miles away negatively affecting gold prices. I often say that government policy is a precursor to change, and fiscal policy strongly affected the Love Trade in India last month. To trim its current account deficit, Indias finance minister proposed doubling the customs tax on the precious metal. As a result, gold imports into the worlds largest gold market fell 55 percent.

Its been a challenging week for gold investors. As I often say, investing, like life, is about managing expectations. Over the past 11 years during golds spectacular bull run, investors should remember that price action can go both ways. What helps is to look at the historical rise and fall of gold. For example, looking at the past decade of one-day 5 percent drops in gold, you can see that this event is pretty rare. In 2006, gold dropped more than 5 percent in a day only two times. In 2008, there were three such events. Another one occurred at the end of this February.

Business Insider created a slideshow that showcases Chinas biggest brands from BrandZs ranking of companies by brand value. The list is a global recognition of how China is increasingly becoming a brand creator and marketer, not just an export machine. Many of the companies are state-owned; all of the brands are publicly traded, report positive earnings and formed by a mainland enterprise. Because the country is growing as an economic powerhouse, it is time that others around the world understand the power brands of China, says BrandZ.

One way investors can offset higher tax rates is through municipal bonds. In general, interest generated from municipal bonds is exempt from all federal income taxes and some state and local taxes (depending on your state). While municipal bonds carry a greater amount of risk than Treasury bonds, tax advantages and higher yields make them extremely attractive to Treasuries on a relative basis. The yield on government debt is currently in the doldrums just above 3 percent while the yield on the Bond Buyer 40 Index of munis is above 4 percent.

The World Bank released an update to its consumption poverty estimates in developing countries, and for the first time ever, the organization found progress in all the regions they track. In terms of the number and percentage of people living on $1.25 a day at 2005 prices in 130 developing countries, the world is a little richer. The area seeing dramatic progress was East Asia, reports the World Bank. Back in the 1980s, this region had the worlds highest incidence of poverty. Nearly 80 percent of people lived on less than $1.25 each day; In 2008, the number dropped to 14 percent.

Some bears may think the odds of China being the winner among emerging markets in 2012 are also remote. Over the past few years, Chinese stocks have lagged compared to its emerging market peers. However, the Periodic Table of Emerging Markets perfectly illustrates: last years loser can be this years winner. Historically, every emerging country has experienced wide price fluctuations from year to year. Over time, though, each country tends to revert to the mean.

For global investors, its important to keep track of the presidential elections happening all around the world, as leaders can significantly affect their countries policies. And as our investment process indicates, we believe government policies are precursors to change. The Economist, which provided inspiration for U.S. Globals Election Interactive, discussed how the leaders who run the world could change this year, along with the ideas: A battle of ideas is under way From Shanghai to Mumbai and Sao Paulo, governments that removed economic restrictions have made their citizens richer.

To paraphrase the great Steve Martin, todays investors are very passionate people and passionate people tend to overreact at times. An overreaction is exactly whats happened in gold and global markets in recent weeks. While market bulls have been sniffing out data points to support their case, market bears have continued to take a glass-half-empty approach. Gold and China are two areas that have been caught in the bear trap this week, but we believe the gold and China bulls still have room to run.