This article in Zacks highlights their picks for the top precious metals mutual funds. Here is an excerpt: "Today we are featuring top-performing “Precious Metals" equity mutual funds, because precious metals offer superior protection against inflation, which cannot be said of almost all other reasonably liquid assets. These funds primarily invest in equity securities of companies that are involved in mining and processing of gold and other precious metals."

Of course, well managed precious metals mutual funds offer a good way for investors with smaller dollars to invest in precious metals. Read more on Zack's picks here: Zacks

More on the new ETF Secutiries platinum and palladium ETF's — I read some of the infromation off their website and I think this says it all when it comes to the risks: "There is a risk that part or all of the Trusts’ physical precious metal could be lost, damaged or stolen. Failure by the Custodian or Sub-Custodian to exercise due care in the safekeeping of the precious metal held by the Trusts could result in a loss to the Trusts. Since there is no limit on the amount of platinum and palladium that the Trust may acquire, the Trust, as it grows, may have an impact on the supply and demand of platinum and palladium." So I take this to mean that you really don't know what you are buying. There are custodians and sub-custodians. Well, I've heard that one before. In other words — no control, or little control over the metals. Is this another shell game by the 'big guns' opposed to free markets in precious metals? Well, I'll leave that for you to decide. More here: ETF Securities

Once again, we have an 'investment' that appears to be less than secure. Folks, if you want security, buy and hold real bullion. Get in touch with me and we'll  talk.

Have a great weekend.
Anthony

Well, the ETF fund world just got a little bigger with the addition of a fund that holds palladum and platinum. Since I have the ability to market platinum bullion, I am always interested in offerings that include it. Now the big question is: Does this ETF actually hold, and guarantee, their holdings of platinum, or is it another 'shell game' like the GLD fund? Read about it here: Seeking Alpha

Jeff Nielson writes in Seeking Alpha about the differences and similarities between the 1930's depression and today's economic malaise. Gold he says is in a much better position as far as investment potential today. Here is an excerpt:

"In 1930, the world was on a gold standard, with (relatively) strong, solvent economies in most of the world – with the exception of Germany. At that time, no economy was stronger than that of the United States, despite the necessary economic correction it suffered as punishment for a prior period of economic excess.

Today, most of those same economies are swamped with higher debt levels than at any time in the history of these nations – with no economy being more insolvent than the United States. At the same time that the wealth-generation of the U.S. economy has been stripped away through the dismantling of most of its manufacturing base, it is forced to bear a debt-load far greater than that borne by the other 95% of the global population combined."
For the complete article go here: Seeking Alpha

If you haven't heard of GATA or of their suit against the Federal Reserve Board, you will want to read this press release from them. GATA is wading in against the 'giants' but with some good ammo apparently. Perhaps their work will help us all towards freer markets – not only for precious metals but more generally. Here an excerpt:

"The Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc. today brought suit against the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, seeking a court order for disclosure of the central bank's records of its surreptitious market intervention to suppress the monetary metal's price." Read more here: GATA

Safe haven qualities are likely to push the price of precious metals bullion in 2010 says this article in the Business Standard. Here is an excerpt:

Precious metals are likely to remain bullish in 2010 due to their status as safe haven investment avenue at the time of economic crisis. Major global economies are now planning to withdraw stimulus packages they offered during the last financial crisis which began with the Lehman Brothers’ collapse in September 2008.

The thought here is that pulling back stimulus will hurt economies and drive investors to the safe haven of gold, silver and platinum bullion. Read the whole article here: Business Standard

In this article from PRNewswire, the author points out that if you hold US dollars you are in effect holding stock in the US. Would you buy a GOV share? The author wouldn't. He also asks the question, "What should you do to prepare?" He offers an answer from Arthur Soriano of the Eagle Bullion Group: "Keeping in mind the long-term dollar devaluation, we urge Americans to protect their purchasing power by allocating funds to precious metals." Read more here: PRNewswire

This from the Economic Times: MUMBAI: “Silver has outshone gold’s performance this year and will continue to do so in 2010 as the metal responds to the prospect of a surge in industrial demand, Angel Commodities Broking said.” More at Economic Times

Howard Ruff of Commodity Online had this to say about buying gold and silver when prices came off their highs: “Recently after silver had taken a beating for two or three days, I was walking out of church and a friend said to me, “Why are you recommending silver; it’s so cheap?”

I attempted to restrain myself. “I thought you were supposed to buy low and sell high.” You can’t buy low unless you buy when things are out of favor. Today gold and silver are out of favor, and that has created a great opportunity. When it was raging to the upside, I was worried that it would be a very expensive entry point.

Actually, you can pay almost any price near these levels and some day brag about how smart you were, but you get better opportunities when the market is down.

This correction is a good chance to load up. If you don’t load up at times like now, how can you possibly buy low?” Read more at Commodity Online

A very interesting report form Jason Hommel in Gold Seek on a survey he did with his client list of 80,000. Basically he questioned them on the reasons relatives of his subscribers did not want to purchase gold or silver. Here is an excerpt: “This is probably my most important report of the last 5 years, if ever.  This is ground breaking research.  Few others could even conduct this market research, as I have a large email list of 80,000 readers.  This could be a psychology study or PhD thesis.  It is an amazing picture of society today.” Read more here: Gold Seek