At present, inflation prospects are going down and frustrating the purpose for owning this precious metal. Oil futures plumetted 44 percent in New York this year and dropped below $54 per barrel during the past week as world output went up. Cheaper energy is an indication that inflation will not go near the two percent target of the Federal Reserve. Holdings of investors in exchange-traded funds supported by gold were at the lowest dating back to 2009. Open interest in futures/options declined by 5.3 percent in 2014. It was the longest slump going back to 2005, as per government figures.