Gold prices tumbled 9 percent on Monday, the sharpest drop in 30 years, heightening fears that investors’ faith in the safe haven has been shattered. The steep fall in gold, following a slump on Friday, led a broader sell-off in commodities and stock markets, with the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index declining 2.3 percent — its sharpest one-day decline since early November. Crude oil prices fell to under $90 a barrel, and copper fell to a 17-month low. The catalyst was disappointment over Chinese growth, which has been a bright spot in a global economy marred by uneven recoveries and Europe’s persistent debt ... (full story)