Gold prices reach highest level since 2011 and near record as investors flood safe havens

· *Gold futures swung higher on Thursday and neared a record close as investors continued to hedge against a worse-than-expected recession.*
· *Contracts for the precious metal leaped as high as $1,897.70 per ounce, overtaking their all-time closing high of $1,891.90 from August 2011.*
· *The asset's intraday high is just a...