3X Leveraged Gold: One Year Later
The gold ETF space has been one of the most active in the industry in recent years. In fact, the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) is the second-largest exchange-traded product in the world with well over $70 billion in total assets. But the options do not end there, as issuers have continued to innovate with new and exciting products to give investors multiple ways to play their precious metal. Leveraged products have been among the most popular innovations, as they allows traders the opportunity for big gains (or, unfortunately, losses) [for more gold ETF news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
SIL vs. SLV: How They’ve Performed So Far In 2012
So far this year, investors that have held silver assets are outperforming the market as a whole. There are a number of exchange traded funds, or ETFs that offer broad exposure to the precious metal, and most are up more than the S&P 500 index. Two of the primary silver ETFs are the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) and Global X Silver Miners ETF (SIL). Despite their slightly different focus, their performance in 2012 is quite close, though it had diverged until very recently. Below is an overview of each ETF and a comparison of their performance on a year-to-date basis [for more silver ETF news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Investing In Gold: The Definitive Guide
Gold is one of the rarest metals in the world, and has a long history as a valuable and intensely sought-after element. The precious metal has served as the basis for physical currency for thousands of years, and many monetary systems throughout human history have utilized a gold standard that focused on the precious metal. Exploration and production of gold has become a major industry in regions that maintain significant deposits of the metal, and quests for gold have been the impetus of countless expeditions and discoveries [for more gold news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Monster Gains In 2012: Leveraged Gold vs. Leveraged Silver
Precious metals have become increasingly popular in recent years, as continued easing from central banks around the world and escalating fear over the global economy has led to a massive inflow for these commodities. Though most are comfortable with your standard bullion or ETF, others bet big on these assets by utilizing leveraged funds. Thus far in 2012, both leveraged gold and silver funds have performed extremely well, making them an enticing play for traders who can stomach the risk associated with these products [for more gold and silver news subscribe to our free newsletter].
Global Easing: The Perfect Storm for Gold
The past few weeks have seen a major shake-up in the global economy, as central banks from around the world have taken aggressive actions to try and boost their respective nations. Of course, investors everywhere have been rejoicing as not only have major benchmarks charged forward, but excessive money printing and easing on a mass scale makes a number of assets extremely attractive. One of the best investments to make during a time of currency debasement is gold, as this precious metal has long been one of the most popular safe havens and store of value [for more gold news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
How to Play $10,000 Gold
“The world’s economy is a soft-paste porcelain vase set on a wobbly plant stand in the heart of an active earthquake zone”. Not only is that one of the best analogies I have ever read, but Jim McTague’s wording also hits the nail on the head for just how fragile our economic situation really is. Europe is stranded by mounds of debt from nations who can never seem to fully agree on what to do next, conflicts in the Middle East are only getting worse, and U.S. debt levels have recently surpassed that of our GDP, fantastic. But there is one positive takeaway for investors and that came from Ben Bernanke’s decision to implement yet another round of QE [for more economic news and updates subscribe to our free newsletter].
5 Commodity Stocks Worth a Closer Look
In 2012, market volatility is par for the course for any serious investor. The struggle for consistent growth and return on investments is one being waged in all markets across the world; however, income investors remain wary of commodities as a source for positive value. Conservative investors quick point to the prospect for volatility that exists when adding commodity stocks to their portfolios may be missing out on the growth that exists in their dividend potential. Through selective research and investing, commodity stocks are a solid approach to generating higher returns in, while simultaneously increasing the stability of, your portfolio [for more commodity news and analysis subscribe to our free newsletter].
Complete List Of New 2011 Commodity ETFs
This year saw a surge in popularity for commodity investing. As the years have passed, investors have seen the benefits of investing in the risky, but lucrative asset class. Commodities provide a protection against inflation as well as a low correlation to equities. One of the biggest problems within the industry was the lack of options available to investors just a few years ago. It used to be that only those with a complex futures account were able to add these securities to their portfolios. Now, there are hundreds of products to help even the smallest investor gain access to their favorite commodity investment. Below, we outline all of the commodity exchange traded products that hit the market this year [see also 12 High-Yielding Commodities For 2012].
