This lifts the opportunity cost of holding non- yielding assets such as gold.

Rate hikes increase the opportunity cost of holding non- yielding assets such as gold.

Foreign investors have flocked to Brazil's high- yielding assets this past year.

Higher yields increase the opportunity cost of holding non- yielding assets such as bullion.

Rising rates lift the opportunity cost of holding non- yielding assets such as bullion.

Rising rates would raise the opportunity cost of holding non- yielding assets, such as gold.

But the bank is now saddled with tens of billions of dollars in low- yielding assets.

There's a lot of demand for yielding assets generally, and that's all around the world.

With the yields on bonds at the low, they're going to look for higher yielding assets.

Investors looked to borrow euros at super-low rates and buy higher- yielding assets abroad, the so-called carry trade.

So far, though, the move has not encouraged Japanese-based investors to sell yen for higher- yielding assets abroad.

Now expectations of rising U.S. interest rates are propelling demand for the high- yielding assets far beyond available supply.

Higher rates typically weigh on gold, as they increase the opportunity cost of holding non- yielding assets such as bullion.

Gold is highly sensitive to rising rates, which lift the opportunity cost of holding non- yielding assets such as bullion.

A deal would combine Wells Fargo's "industry-low" cost of funds with CIT's $35 billion in higher- yielding assets.

Monetary easing in theory should encourage investors to buy risky and higher- yielding assets as the return on cash diminishes.