With macroeconomic conditions in flux, is gold back on the table as the go-to safe haven investment

With macroeconomic conditions in flux, is gold back on the table as the go-to safe haven investment? Gold futures are up 6% this year after dropping nearly 30% in 2013. The precious metal is slowly but surely regaining ground after bottoming out around $1,200 an ounce towards the end of last year. Several factors could be behind the renewed investor appetite for gold. First off, emerging markets have clearly lost favor. Between China's unexpected slowdown in manufacturing and the currency crisis in Turkey, we've already had our share of scary emerging market headlines. However, poor jobs numbers in the US are raising concerns that the economy out here isn't so hot after all. Meanwhile, with Europe still in recovery, there just aren't that many choices for risk averse investors. So once again, gold is showing some luster. Will it last?