Customers buy gold at a gold shop in Hong Kong, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011. The price of gold topped $1,800 an ounce for the first time, as concern about Europe’s debt problems intensified Wednesday. Some investors view gold as a safer bet. Its value, unlike that of a currency, such as the U.S. dollar, doesn’t hinge on whether
countries can make their bond payments, or on the vigor of their
economies. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)