With the debt talks collapsing, it's getting harder and harder to say for certain that the US won't default. While some people aren't convinced that this would be a disaster, there's a real chance that this would lead to an economic catastrophe, crushing the dollar, Treasuries, the banking system, and so on. So with the August 2 deadline fast approaching and no concrete signs of progress, here's a look at some popular safe-haven investments.
1. Gold -- Gold is basically at record highs but it is literally considered to be the "gold standard" of safety investments. A default by the US could shake the paper-based financial system to its core, leaving people hungry for an asset that's been used as a store of wealth for thousands of years.
2. Swiss franc -- Like gold, Swiss Francs are near all-time highs. The country is fiscally sound, run by trustworthy politicians and bankers, and walled off from the European banking system.
3. Norwegian krone -- Perhaps even more so than the Swiss Franc, Norway is quite sheltered from the European debt crisis. The country has a strong fiscal balance, and what's more, it's an oil country, so the currency has commodity value.
4. The Japanese yen – Surprised aren't you. People think of Japan as facing similar debt woes to the US, but the market begs to disagree. Both the yen and Japanese Government Bonds have been huge winners over time…..
There's more. Find it at http://www.businessinsider.com/safe-haven-dollar-collapse-2011-7
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