Gold may soon hit $1,000 an ounce, but will rally fizzle this fall?

Gold is the financial world's answer to Prozac: it's economic medication that relieves anxiety about the future. As the precious metal approaches $1,000 an ounce, some investors may wonder if the economy is off its meds.

Markets have tested the $1,000 level for several days and may finally cross that Rubicon today, as signs of the recovery are not as robust as investors would like them to be. (U.S. employers shed 216,000 jobs last month -- beating expectations, and the 247,000 jobs slashed in July.)