Mon, 10.11.2020, by Chip Brian, (Smartrend) - Below are the top five companies in the Gold industry as measured by relative performance. This analysis was compiled based on yesterday’s trading activity as we search for stocks that have the potential to outperform.

Nevsun Resources (AMEX:NSU) ranks first with a gain of 6.77%; Aurizon Mines (AMEX:AZK) ranks second with a gain of 2.97%; and Randgold Resources (NASDAQ:GOLD) ranks third with a gain of 2.39%.

Jaguar Mining (NYSE:JAG) follows with a gain of 2.19% and Barrick Gold (NYSE:ABX) rounds out the top five with a gain of 1.82%.

SmarTrend is bullish on shares of NSU and our subscribers were alerted to Buy on February 10, 2010 at $2.40. The stock has risen 122.9% since the alert was issued.

Irina Waqar, CEOWORLD - Gold is in a bull market because its core fundamentals are so outstanding. The gold price, like every other commodity or stock, is ultimately driven by supply and demand. For many years various central banks around the world, other countries’ equivalents of the US Federal Reserve, were willing to sell enough gold into the open markets to more than cover the huge structural supply deficit between mined supply and world demand.

Gold is a hot item for several reasons right now. For one thing, gold production is either flat or falling around the world. Inflation, flat supply and prevailing uncertainty in other investments is driving the price of gold ever higher.

The primary fundamental strategic reason to invest in gold at this particular moment in history is to ride the already in progress re-pricing of the Ancient Metal of Kings to a higher price level where supply and demand meet and offset one another and eliminate the gold shortage. Investing in gold is not like normal stock investments of investing in real estate for that matter. The real estate market is no where near as stable as the gold market and as such in no where near as reliable.

A must read: Top 5 Gold Stocks to buy and trade for 2010

Goldcorp (GG, News, Press Releases: 40.20 0.00 0.00%, yield: 0.45, cap: 29.501B, 1yr target: 49.54)- Goldcorp Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of precious metal properties in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. The company produces and sells gold, silver, and copper. It also holds interests in lead and zinc projects. The company was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX, News, Press Releases: 41.23 +0.28 +0.68%, yield: 0.98, cap: 40.591B, 1yr target: 50.29)- Barrick Gold Corporation primarily engages in the production and sale of gold, as well as related activities such as exploration and mine development worldwide. The company has a portfolio of 26 operating mines and a pipeline of projects located across various continents, including North America, South America, Australia, and Africa. It also produces copper and holds interests in oil and gas properties located in Canada.

Rubicon Minerals Corp. (RBY, News, Press Releases: 4.17 +0.09 +2.21%, yield: N/A, cap: 884.6M, 1yr target: 6.00)- Rubicon Minerals Corporation is a well-funded, top tier, gold exploration company deriving its strength from a hands-on management team with a track record of discovery. Rubicon’s focus is in highly prospective gold producing areas of North America. It controls over 65,000 acres of prime exploration ground in the prolific Red Lake gold camp of Ontario, Canada, which hosts Goldcorp’s high-grade, world class Red Lake Mine.

Royal Gold (RGLD, News, Press Releases: 51.3999 +0.4299 +0.84%, yield: 0.67, cap: 2.167B, 1yr target: 56.96)- Royal Gold, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, acquires and operates precious metals royalties. The company owns royalty interests in various production, development, evaluation, and exploration stage projects, which explore for gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc metals. It holds royalty interests in properties located in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Africa, Argentina, Chile, Australia, the Russian Federation, Finland, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Republic of Guinea, and Central America.

Richmont Mines Inc. (RIC, News, Press Releases: 4.18 +0.01 +0.24%, yield: N/A, cap: 109.1M, 1yr target: 0.00)- Richmont Mines Inc.. The Group’s principal activity is to acquire, explore and develop mining properties, principally gold. The Group operates in many provinces: Quebec, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador. The Group’s mining properties consist of Beaufor Mine and Island Gold Mine.

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX, News, Press Releases: 84.775 -1.275 -1.48%, yield: 0.17, cap: 36.501B, 1yr target: 103.07)- Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. engages in the exploration, mining, and production of mineral resources. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and cobalt deposits. The company holds interests in various properties located in North and South America; Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; and Tenke Fungurume minerals district in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As of December 31, 2009, its consolidated recoverable proven and probable reserves totaled 104.2 billion pounds of copper, 37.2 million ounces of gold, 2.59 billion pounds of molybdenum, 270.4 million ounces of silver, and 0.78 billion pounds of cobalt.

Nevsun Resources Ltd. (NSU, News, Press Releases: 3.12 0.00 0.00%, yield: N/A, cap: 601.0M, 1yr target: 1.30)- Nevsun Resources Ltd. was incorporated in British Columbia on July 19, 1965, originally under the name of Hogan Mines Ltd. Since inception, the Company has undergone four name changes until December 19, 1991 when it adopted the name of Nevsun Resources Ltd. Nevsun is focused on advancing its high grade gold, copper and zinc Bisha Project in Eritrea.

Newmont Mining (NEM, News, Press Releases: 53.97 +0.07 +0.13%, yield: 0.74, cap: 26.499B, 1yr target: 59.21)- Newmont Mining Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and production of gold and copper properties. Its assets or operations are located in the United States, Australia, Peru, Indonesia, Ghana, Canada, New Zealand, and Mexico. As of December 31, 2009, Newmont had proven and probable gold reserves of approximately 91.8 million equity ounces and an aggregate land position of approximately 33,400 square miles.