Major gold-backed exchange traded products, such as the SPDR Gold Shares GLD and the iShares Gold Trust IAU, are sporting solid year-to-date showings. Some market observers, however, are voicing concerns about the yellow metal after it declined during the volatility spike earlier this month. Gold's lack of positive response to the surge in the CBOE Volatility Index, also known as the VIX, vexed investors and led some to question the precious metal's safe-haven status. “With the CBOE Volatility Index reaching as high as 37 over the last two weeks, a level not seen since August 2015, it was agreed upon that fear had reentered the market,” said CFRA Research analyst Lindsey Bell in a note last week. “However, the price of gold, which is often considered a safe haven asset in times of uncertainty, declined just over 3 percent from its recent high on Jan. 25 through last Friday.” SourceStochastics are getting overbought, so the upside is limited. $GLD, SPDR Gold Trust / D