Memories of the day when the blue-chip stock index was undone by panic to trigger a record Dow Jones Industrial Average plunge of 508 points, equal to a 22.6% drop, stands as a stark reminder that no market is crash-proof.

The title of novelist Edna O’Brien’s 1965 book, August Is A Wicked Month, may carry more than a little relevance for nervous investors around the world this year.

GOLD’S rally above $1,900 (€1,358) an ounce shows no signs of a “bubble” as central banks continue to boost money supply that has helped spur bullion to a record, according to investor Marc Faber.