It’s time to rethink the standard investment advice

Dubious records are being set in financial markets. You will have to decide whether you can afford to ignore them.

Gold and silver prices are swinging wildly. On Jan 30,

silver fell more than 25 per cent

, its worst day since 1980, giving up some of the fabulous gains of recent weeks. The yo-yoing prices are baffling businesses that rely on precious metals, and they are bewildering many investors. Hard-to-decipher price signals have cropped up way beyond the commodity markets.