Sunday, January 8, 2012

Gold & silver stocks

All quote volume is comprehensive and reflects trading in all markets, delayed at least 15 minutes. International stock quotes are delayed as per exchange requirements.The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:LINKS TO ACTUAL PAGE CONTAINING WEB SLICE FUNCTIONALITY.Please register to gain free access to WSJ tools.An account already exists for the email address entered.This service is temporary unavailable due to system maintenance. Please try again later.another account. Please enter a different usernameThe email address you have entered is already in use.From time to time, we will send you e-mail announcements on new features and special offers from The Wall Street Journal Online.Dow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visitWall Street bankers may be divided over their expectations for the U.S. IPO market this year, but they appear unified in their belief that the flow of deals will come in fits and starts. Any discussion of initial public offerings these days involves descriptions of what underwriters describe as windows—short periods of days or weeks in which new stocks will be ushered out to the market, followed by interludes during which no IPOs step forward. The pattern, set in the second half of 2011, is expected to continue at least in the first part of this year. "The number of companies poised to go public remains huge, and companies are positioning themselves to be ready to go when windows open," said Mark Hantho, global co-head of equity capital markets at Deutsche Bank AG. The dollar volume of IPOs in registration currently stands at $14.8 billion, down from $15 billion at the beginning of last year, and $17 billion at the start of 2010, according to Dealogic. There are 145 companies waiting to debut, compared to 122 at this time last year. That doesn't count Facebook Inc., of course, which is widely expected to register in the coming weeks for an IPO that could total $10 billion. But having a ready stash of IPOs waiting to price doesn't mean all of them will succeed; that depends on factors such as broader market movements and volatility. Higher volatility makes it more difficult to price a deal and draw investors in, while major indices' downturns can cool both issuers' and buyers' interest in IPOs. "Our pipeline would suggest that there should be an uptick ahead, but it can be dangerously difficult to predict when the pipeline can open up in this environment," said Robert Greifeld, chief executive of Nasdaq OMX. "Everything is a derivative of macroeconomic factors, so if we can extend strong or robust GDP growth in this country, we'd be solving a myriad of issues. More equity inflows would increase demand for IPOs, too." Elsewhere in the IPO market: The first two weeks of January are traditionally devoid of IPOs following year-end holidays. That's the case this year as well; there were no deals done this week, and none expected for the coming one. However, there is an offering slated for Jan. 19, from biodiesel fuel producerInc. The company plans to sell 7.2 million shares of stock at a price between $13 and $15, and has applied to list its shares on the Nasdaq under the symbol REGI. Write to Lynn Cowan atExcessive pay for bosses at struggling companies represents a market failure and shareholders will be given more powers to block bumper deals, said Prime Minister David Cameron.The quest for a vaccine against AIDS is gaining momentum, with research published Wednesday identifying promising new candidates that protected monkeys against a powerful strain of the virus and which soon could be tested in humans.Excessive pay for bosses at struggling companies represents a market failure and shareholders will be given more powers to block bumper deals, said Prime Minister David Cameron.Excessive pay for bosses at struggling companies represents a market failure and shareholders will be given more powers to block bumper deals, said Prime Minister David Cameron.Security forces killed at least 10 civilians, most of them in the central city of Homs on Sunday. Clashes between government troops and defectors left 11 soldiers dead, activists said.The chairman of Germany's largest opposition party says the Social Democratic party would cooperate with Angela Merkel in finding a consensus candidate for the German presidency as incumbent Christian Wulff faces mounting criticism.Mitt Romney faced withering fire from his rivals for the GOP presidential nomination Sunday, criticized for being what they said was an inauthentic conservative and as much a career politicians as any other candidate.Excessive pay for bosses at struggling companies represents a market failure and shareholders will be given more powers to block bumper deals, said Prime Minister David Cameron.The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:Real-time U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only; comprehensive U.S. stock quotes reflect trading in all markets and are delayed at least 15 minutes. All quote volume is comprehensive and reflects trading in all markets, delayed at least 15 minutes. International stock quotes are delayed as per exchange requirements.The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:Why use your real name? The Journal Community encourages thoughtful dialogue and meaningful connections between real people. We require the use of your full name to authenticate your identity. The quality of conversations can deteriorate when real identities are not provided.profile to avoid this message in the future. (As a member you agree to use your real name when participating in the Journal Community)LINKS TO ACTUAL PAGE CONTAINING WEB SLICE FUNCTIONALITY.Please log in or register for free to use Save This.Euro-area consumer confidence fell to the lowest in more than two years and unemployment remained at a 13-year high, according to data released today.An index of executive and consumer sentiment in the 17- nation euro area fell to 93.3 in December from a revised 93.8 in November, the European Commission in Brussels said. That was in line with the median of 19 economists' estimates in a Bloomberg survey. The unemployment rate held at 10.3 percent in November, a separate report showed.European Central Bank Governing Council member Klaas Knot said Germany should support increasing the euro area's bailout fund to help end the debt crisis.Federal Reserve Bank of New York President William Dudley called on the U.S. government to try new programs to revive the housing market while saying the central bank may still consider ways to cut interest rates.EasyJet Plc rose 3.1 percent to 395.2 pence after reporting a 13 percent increase in passenger numbers in December, compared with the same month in the previous year.

Stocks

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Investors are gearing up for the unofficial start of corporate earnings season, but they're also bracing for another round of bad headlines out of Europe.That means stocks will probably bounce around next week as the market remains torn between rising hopes for the U.S. economy and the ever-present government debt and bankingIn Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet in Berlin on Monday to prepare for a summit of European Union leaders later this month. The meeting will come days before Italy and Spain hold their firstof the year. Italy and Spain both need to refinance billions of euros worth of debt and investors have been demanding higher interest rates amid worries about the governments' ability to enact reforms."The focus in the coming week will be on the supply side, where Spain on Thursday and Italy on Friday will make their auction debuts this year following the substantial rise in yields in the past week," said Tobias Blattner, eurozone economist at Daiwa Capital Markets, in a note to clients.Investors will also be keeping an eye on Greece, where Prime Minister Lucas Papademos needs to push through more austerity reforms to secure more bailout funds later this year. In addition,and banks over a voluntary 50% reduction in the value of Greek government bonds have been progressing at a slow pace.The European Central Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady at 1% when its governing council meets Thursday in Frankfurt. The ECB cut rates last month and announced a series ofto help banks avoid a credit crunch.Despite the central bank's efforts, worries about the capital needs of European banks intensified last week afterBack in the United States, investors will be focused on corporate results and economic reports such as data on retail sales.Alcoa () will set the tone for the banking sector Friday when it releases its latest quarterly report. The giant financial services company is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings of 93 cents per share, down 17% from the same period last year.The main attraction on the economic calendar is Thursday's report on December retail sales from the Commerce Department. Other items include data on consumer credit, weekly claims for unemployment benefits and the U.S. trade balance.Investors have been encouraged by a recent string of upbeat reports on the U.S. economy, including a larger-than-expectedand a drop in the unemployment rate during December.Meanwhile, the automotive and technology sector may get some attention next week when two key trade shows get underway.General Motors (Millions of investors are scared about buying stocks right now -- even though now seems like a time to be more optimistic. With some small positive signs on the jobs front and improving consumer confidence, thein the world's face, then fears of a double-dip recession could quickly disappear, setting the stage for a monumental bull market. At least with some stocks, Wall Street analysts seem to be getting a whiff of that optimism. Even though they've recently gotten burned during the market meltdown and financial crisis, analysts have started to push upward their earnings estimates for a select group of stocks. That bodes well for those companies' prospects going forward. Today, I want to look at the stocks from the Dow Jones Industrials () that analysts seem to like the best right now. In a moment, I'll reveal five Dow stocks that have seen the biggest increases in analysts' earnings estimates over the past three months. But first, I want to make sure that you take these numbers with an appropriate grain of salt -- because analysts don't have the best track record of making smart earnings estimates. When pros get it wrongIdeally, you'd be able to count on professionals who spend their entire lives looking at the stocks they follow. But doing so can be dangerous to your wealth. Patrick Cusatis and J. Randall Woolridge of Penn State University did aThe fact that analysts don't predict well may suggest that you shouldn't look at their estimates at all. But despite their inaccuracy, earnings estimates get a lot of attention from other investors, and changes to those estimates can move stock prices substantially. When analysts feel better about a stock's future prospects, investors will follow suit -- sometimes creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of share price gains, at least unless the company's actual results down the road prove them wrong. So with that in mind, here are the five Dow stocks where analysts have ratcheted up their earnings estimates the most over the past three months.even with fears of a slowdown, upping its earnings guidance and beating estimates quarter after quarter. And even though IBM and Cisco followed much different paths in 2011 -- IBM consistently soared, while Cisco struggled early before recovering later -- any boost in the overall economy should be especially helpful for the technology sector. That leaves Pfizer as an unexpected choice here. The company cut its dividend after making a huge acquisition in 2009 and is dealing with the same patent-cliff issues that many of its pharma peers face, having lost protection on itsBefore you jump into any of these stocks, remember: Analysts are often wrong. Boosting estimates that may already be too high doesn't necessarily make these stocks a good buying opportunity. But if the reasons behind the moves are justified, then you'll definitely want to take a closer look. One thing that both analysts and investors like a lot right now are dividend stocks. The Dow has plenty of dividend payers, but to get the best of the best, you have to go beyond the Dow. Let me invite you to join the thousands who've read the Fool's new free report that revealsloves stocks that give you the returns you deserve. You can follow him on. He doesn't own shares of the companies mentioned in this article. The Motley Fool owns shares of IBM and Cisco and has created a bull call spread position on Cisco.have recommended buying shares of Pfizer, Home Depot, and Cisco. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesOne or more symbols you entered is not available.companies dropped last week, extending their worst year on record, on concern revenue will fall after a competitor signed 10,000 new customers for its cellular services.of the largest Israeli companies traded in New York. The Ministry of Communications, seeking to boost competition in the market, issued licenses to new mobile telephone and virtual operators last year at a time when hundreds of thousands of protesters demonstrated during the summer calling for lower prices, more affordable housing and free pre-school education. “There’s a lot of competition coming to the market,” said Jean Kaplan, an analyst at HSBC Holdings Plc in. “Bezeq may be catching up” with the cellular companies’ drop, he said. Bezeq’s decline had pushed. It is also home to the largest number of startup companies per capita in the world.where shares were trading without the right to receive a 1.90 shekel- a-share dividend payable on January 19. “This is a continuation of a negative trend in local telecommunication companies on the back of regulatory uncertainty,” said Uriel Goren, head of international clients desk at DS Securities & Investments Ltd. The New York shares of Cellcom dropped 48 percent in 2011, the most since the company listed shares in New York in 2007. Bezeq’s stock sank 35 percent in 2011, the most since its 1995 initial public offering on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The TA-Com index of telecommunication companies lost 1.1 percent, while the TA-25 gained 0.1 percent today.fell 6.5 percent as its cellular-phone unit, facing growing competition, lowered rates on regulator instructions and increased its debt. “Bezeq has come out quite better than Partner and Cellcom because it has more segments than them,” HSBC’s Kaplan said., may be “a great fit” as an acquisition target after Jeremy Levin assumes his new position as chief executive officer, Selvaraju said. The shekel fell 1.1 percent versus the dollar last week to 3.8528 per dollar, extending its 7.5 percent drop in 2011, the worst annual decline since 2001. Details on 6,050 Israeli credit card holders have been posted on the Internet by a hacker identifying himself as a Saudi, Globes reported on Jan. 6, citing credit card companies. Last week, details from 15,000 Israeli credit card customers were exposed by hackers on the Internet. To contact the reporter on this story: Tal Barak Harif in New York atWhile China avoided the global recession in 2009 and is growing more than twice as fast as the world economy, the index has been the worst among the 10 biggest markets in the past two years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The central bank boosted rates and reserve requirements to curb property prices and inflation that reached a three-year high in July. Premier Wen Jiabao said on Jan. 3 that business conditions may be “relatively difficult” this quarter and monetary policy will be adjusted.Corporate earnings may rise 10 percent this year, Zhang said. Profit growth in the MSCI BRIC Index of the four largest emerging markets will slow to 5 percent from 19 percent last year, according to more than 12,000 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg as of Dec. 28.The Shanghai Composite fell 1.6 in the first week of trading in 2012, compared to gains of more than 2 percent for gauges in Brazil, Russia and India, the other BRIC nations.The largest advance in the Shanghai Composite last year was a 195 percent surge by Shanghai-based China Fortune Land Development Co. Irico Display Devices Co., a manufacturer of television picture tubes based in Shaanxi province, sank 66 percent, the biggest decline of 2011.Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which coined the term BRIC a decade ago, said in a Dec. 7 report that economic growth for the largest emerging nations may have peaked because of a smaller supply of new workers.China will boost domestic consumption to offset an export slowdown and allow for faster gains in the yuan to tame inflation, Mark Mobius, who helps oversee about $40 billion as executive chairman of Templeton Emerging Markets Group, said in an e-mail on Dec. 14.“The Chinese leadership has the organizational skills and policies capable of ensuring that China continues to achieve the highest gross domestic product growth of any major country in the world,” Mobius said. He favors consumer stocks because they will benefit most from rising Chinese incomes.UBS AG cut its prediction on Nov. 29 for growth in 2012 to 8 percent from 8.3 percent, while Citigroup Inc. reduced its forecast to 8.4 percent from 8.7 percent. Average economic growth in the BRIC nations will slow to 6.1 percent this year from a high of 9.7 percent in 2007, according to September estimates by the International Monetary Fund. The IMF estimates global production will expand 4 percent.The People’s Bank of China cut banks’ reserve-requirement ratios from a record high for the first time in three years on Nov. 30. The central bank may lower the ratios as much as four times this year to encourage lending to small companies hurt by a credit squeeze, Zhang said. He recommends shares of property developers, brokerages and chemical producers.The Chinese banks may report annual net income increases of at least 19 percent in 2012, analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg show.) fell 7% after the discount retailer said Thursday that earnings rose in the most recent quarter, but sales came in lower than expected.Not many people realize that the stock market is one of the best predictors of the outcome of a Presidential election. So the best way for investors to determine whether PresidentForbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.Passwords are sent to this address, so please make sure it is correct.The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.The Forbes 400 is the definitive list of wealth in America, profiling and ranking the country's richest citizens by their estimated net worths.Riding surging prices of his bank and telecom holdings, Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim Helú has widened his lead over Americans Bill Gates and Warren Buffett as the wealthiest person on earth.The Forbes Global 2000 are the biggest, most powerful listed companies in the world. This year's list reflects big gains in profit and sales from a broad and deep recovery. Optimism may be back in boardrooms from Beijing to Bentonville, but now come the headwinds.Everybody knows that January predicts the stock market's direction for the year and that the best time to sell stocks is at their spring peak. And among stock market experts, it's a sure bet that the market will soar in the year before an election.Everybody knows that January predicts the stock market's direction for the year and that the best time to sell stocks is at their spring peak. And among stock market experts, it's a sure bet that the market will soar in the year before an election.But what passes for stock market wisdom is suspect when given a closer look. The most common error comes when people spot two events and assume that one causes the other.And it drives economists, math geeks and plenty of money managers nuts.The same seasonal patterns seem to pop up year after year. Some are valuable and some meaningless, Keon says -- like saying stocks tend to rise or fall depending on the month, the temperature in New York City or who wins the Super Bowl.The idea is that January works as a barometer for the stock market's full-year performance: A strong first month often leads to a year of gains, and a weak one to a year of losses.The suggestion that January somehow directs the course of the next 11 months is what irks economists and investors, including Dan Greenhaus, chief market strategist at the brokerage BTIG.The S&P 500 has climbed in three out of every four years since 1950. Pick nearly any month in which stocks rose and most of the time you'll find that the year was headed in the same direction.Like a flock of migrating birds, the stock market tends to travel south or north depending on the season. It rises through the winter months and falls late in the spring. Investors struggle through the summer until November rolls around and the market picks up again.The flow of money into retirement plans and mutual funds may have something to do with it. Colas says databases that track cash moving into stock funds show patterns similar to the stock market trend: A strong start that evaporates as the year progresses.Some tie the summer sluggishness to vacation season. Trading desks are thinly staffed in the weeks before Labor Day. Fewer traders means a drop in trading volume, which makes it easier for markets to take bigger swings, often down.Here's where that explanation falls short. Traders return to their desks after Labor Day in September and trading picks up. But for all major stock indexes, September is historically the worst month of the year. Since 1950, it's the only month in which the stock market has fallen more than it has risen.U.S. presidents serve four-year terms, and the third year is usually the best for the stock market. The pattern has been remarkably solid. The Dow Jones industrial average has made gains in every third year of a president's term since 1939, when President Franklin Roosevelt was nearing the end of his second term in office.To Keon, managing director of Prudential's Quantitative Management Associates, the problem with banking on a president's third term for a market rally is that it only considers two things, the stock market and the president, and ignores everything else.Sitting presidents want to get re-elected and may try to push spending packages to boost the economy, Keon says. He ran a study that examined the effects of interest rates, inflation and other economic activity, and the president's ability to move markets largely disappeared.Please take a minute to register. After you register and pick a screen name, you can publish your comments everywhere on the site.Please register to gain free access to WSJ tools.An account already exists for the email address entered.This service is temporary unavailable due to system maintenance. Please try again later.another account. Please enter a different usernameThe email address you have entered is already in use.From time to time, we will send you e-mail announcements on new features and special offers from The Wall Street Journal Online.Dow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visitDow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visitEuropean benchmark stock markets have started 2012 on the front foot, but analysts warn that the traditional new year's bounce could quickly dissipate as attention returns to the euro-zone debt crisis. Investors often greet January with a boost amid the flush of optimism of a new slate, but the upbeat attitude can then trail off later in the month. However, analysts are very much divided this year on how best to position themselves. The Stoxx Europe 600 index ended the year's first trading week up 1.2%, but there was enough of bad economic and company news to make it an ...European benchmark stock markets have started 2012 on the front foot, but analysts warn that the traditional new year's bounce could quickly dissipate as attention returns to the euro-zone debt crisis. Investors often greet January with a boost amid the flush of optimism of a new slate, but the upbeat attitude can then trail off later in the month. However, analysts are very much divided this year on how best to position themselves. The Stoxx Europe 600 index ended the year's first trading week up 1.2%, but there was enough of bad economic and company news to make it an ...The quest for a vaccine against AIDS is gaining momentum, with research published Wednesday identifying promising new candidates that protected monkeys against a powerful strain of the virus and which soon could be tested in humans.Excessive pay for bosses at struggling companies represents a market failure and shareholders will be given more powers to block bumper deals, said Prime Minister David Cameron.Real-time U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only; comprehensive U.S. stock quotes reflect trading in all markets and are delayed at least 15 minutes.

Best gold stocks

SuperFan Badge SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.Culture Connoisseur Badge Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.Post Writer Badge This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.Post Forum Badge Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.Weather Watcher Badge Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.World Watcher Badge World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.Post Recommended Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.Beacon Equity Group Disclaimer This newsletter is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. Beaconequity.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BlueWave Advisors. While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a real licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.Read up on your favorite stock market newsletters.Sharper your stock trading skills with our stock market education section.The market appears to have bottomed, the technicals are improving, and valuations of both producers and juniors are quite compelling.All bull markets have to endure a plethora of corrections and all bull markets have to endure a handful of major corrections. The gold stocks are no different. In fact, due to nature of the mining business and the high-beta status of these stocks, it is very easy for investors to forget that they (the gold stocks) are in a real structural bull market. Corrections and crashes are commonplace and yes, even in a bull market. Yet in 2011 the gold equities did not crash. They merely digested and consolidated the massive recovery gains from 2009 and 2010. This persistent consolidation has left many scared, frustrated and distrustful of the sector at precisely the wrong time. Gold stocks have quietly completed a major bottom, their first since 2008.There are several strong reasons why my firm believes the gold stocks have completed a major bottom. The bullish percent index (number of stocks on a point and figure chart buy signal) dipped to 10%. The last time this happened was in 2008 when the gold stocks bottomed. The two big downturns in 2008 occurred with the bullish percent index at 30% and 70%. Presently, the entire sector is oversold and thus there is very little room to fall but much room to rebound.The gold stocks have just made their fourth major low since this bull market began. The bull is moving into its 12th year yet many feel like giving up on the gold stocks. They don’t have the understanding or the patience that is required to make money in this sector and in a bull market. They are dismayed by the fact that the metals have far outperformed over the past five years. However, this is nothing new. Check the previous chart and you’ll notice that the gold stocks made little progress from 1966 to 1972. The same can be said for the Nasdaq from 1987-1991.Given all we know, this is likely to be your best buying opportunity for the next few years. The market appears to have bottomed, the technicals are improving and valuations of both producers and juniors are quite compelling. Sounds like a major low to me!The information on this website solely reflects the analysis of or opinion about the performance of securities and financial markets by the writers whose articles appear on the site. The views expressed by the writers are not necessarily the views of Minyanville Media, Inc. or members of its management. Nothing contained on the website is intended to constitute a recommendation or advice addressed to an individual investor or category of investors to purchase, sell or hold any security, or to take any action with respect to the prospective movement of the securities markets or to solicit the purchase or sale of any security. Any investment decisions must be made by the reader either individually or in consultation with his or her investment professional. Minyanville writers and staff may trade or hold positions in securities that are discussed in articles appearing on the website. Writers of articles are required to disclose whether they have a position in any stock or fund discussed in an article, but are not permitted to disclose the size or direction of the position. Nothing on this website is intended to solicit business of any kind for a writer's business or fund. Minyanville management and staff as well as contributing writers will not respond to emails or other communications requesting investment advice.NEW YORK, NY, Jan 03, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Gold mining stocks have come under significant pressure in recent months amid widespread weakness in precious metals. According to the Associated Press much of the decline in gold can be blamed on questions about Europe's efforts to resolve its sovereign debt crisis and what the impact on the global economy will be. A slowdown in growth in China has also been a factor. The Paragon Report examines the outlook for companies in the Gold industry and provides equity research on Yamana Gold, Inc.The Paragon Report provides investors with an excellent first step in their due diligence by providing daily trading ideas, and consolidating the public information available on them. For more investment research on the gold industry register with us free at www.paragonreport.com and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.Great Basin Gold Ltd. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal deposits. It explores for gold, silver, and aggregate. The company is currently focused on its two producing mines in the world's two richest gold regions: the Hollister Project on the Carlin Trend in Nevada, USA and the Burnstone Mine in the Witwatersrand goldfield of South Africa.The Paragon Report has not been compensated by any of the above-mentioned publicly traded companies. Paragon Report is compensated by other third party organizations for advertising services. We act as an independent research portal and are aware that all investment entails inherent risks. Please view the full disclaimer at http://www.paragonreport.com/disclaimerThe year has started with pump prices at record highs, and the stage is set for a volatile 2012 that could see sharp increases. Here's why.As you review your investments, think about how this year might be different as well as how it could bring more of the same as 2011 in your portfolio.The action you requested requires a MarketWatch Community display name.MarketWatch Community is a free service that lets you discover, organize and share MarketWatch stories with other readers.The action you requested is only available to MarketWatch members.By registering, you are agreeing to MarketWatch's Terms of Service and to receiving periodic news and special offers via email about MarketWatch enhancements, products and services.Please register to gain free access to WSJ tools.An account already exists for the email address entered.This service is temporary unavailable due to system maintenance. Please try again later.another account. Please enter a different usernameThe email address you have entered is already in use.From time to time, we will send you e-mail announcements on new features and special offers from The Wall Street Journal Online.Dow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visitDow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visitThe quest for a vaccine against AIDS is gaining momentum, with research published Wednesday identifying promising new candidates that protected monkeys against a powerful strain of the virus and which soon could be tested in humans.Excessive pay for bosses at struggling companies represents a market failure and shareholders will be given more powers to block bumper deals, said Prime Minister David Cameron.The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:LINKS TO ACTUAL PAGE CONTAINING WEB SLICE FUNCTIONALITY.Data today is expected to show European consumer confidence slumped to the lowest in more than two years in December, while retail sales in the region fell in November and German factory orders declined, according to the median forecasts in Bloomberg surveys of economists. The U.S. economy probably generated 155,000 jobs in December, compared with 120,000 the previous month, based on estimates before a Labor Department report.The euro was at 98.67 yen from 98.63 yesterday, when it touched 98.48 yen, the weakest since December 2000. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Jan. 9 in Berlin to talk about increasing fiscal coordination among euro-region states ahead of the European Union leaders' summit at the end of the month.The Shanghai Composite Index erased an earlier loss of as much as 0.7 percent amid speculation the central bank will lower banks' reserve-requirement ratios. The monetary authority said today it has suspended bill sales until after the Lunar New Year break, which ends Jan. 29.

Gold stocks to buy

SuperFan Badge SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.Culture Connoisseur Badge Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.Post Writer Badge This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.Post Forum Badge Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.Weather Watcher Badge Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.World Watcher Badge World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.Post Recommended Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.Beacon Equity Group Disclaimer This newsletter is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. Beaconequity.com is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BlueWave Advisors. While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a real licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.Read up on your favorite stock market newsletters.Sharper your stock trading skills with our stock market education section.The market appears to have bottomed, the technicals are improving, and valuations of both producers and juniors are quite compelling.All bull markets have to endure a plethora of corrections and all bull markets have to endure a handful of major corrections. The gold stocks are no different. In fact, due to nature of the mining business and the high-beta status of these stocks, it is very easy for investors to forget that they (the gold stocks) are in a real structural bull market. Corrections and crashes are commonplace and yes, even in a bull market. Yet in 2011 the gold equities did not crash. They merely digested and consolidated the massive recovery gains from 2009 and 2010. This persistent consolidation has left many scared, frustrated and distrustful of the sector at precisely the wrong time. Gold stocks have quietly completed a major bottom, their first since 2008.There are several strong reasons why my firm believes the gold stocks have completed a major bottom. The bullish percent index (number of stocks on a point and figure chart buy signal) dipped to 10%. The last time this happened was in 2008 when the gold stocks bottomed. The two big downturns in 2008 occurred with the bullish percent index at 30% and 70%. Presently, the entire sector is oversold and thus there is very little room to fall but much room to rebound.The gold stocks have just made their fourth major low since this bull market began. The bull is moving into its 12th year yet many feel like giving up on the gold stocks. They don’t have the understanding or the patience that is required to make money in this sector and in a bull market. They are dismayed by the fact that the metals have far outperformed over the past five years. However, this is nothing new. Check the previous chart and you’ll notice that the gold stocks made little progress from 1966 to 1972. The same can be said for the Nasdaq from 1987-1991.Given all we know, this is likely to be your best buying opportunity for the next few years. The market appears to have bottomed, the technicals are improving and valuations of both producers and juniors are quite compelling. Sounds like a major low to me!The information on this website solely reflects the analysis of or opinion about the performance of securities and financial markets by the writers whose articles appear on the site. The views expressed by the writers are not necessarily the views of Minyanville Media, Inc. or members of its management. Nothing contained on the website is intended to constitute a recommendation or advice addressed to an individual investor or category of investors to purchase, sell or hold any security, or to take any action with respect to the prospective movement of the securities markets or to solicit the purchase or sale of any security. Any investment decisions must be made by the reader either individually or in consultation with his or her investment professional. Minyanville writers and staff may trade or hold positions in securities that are discussed in articles appearing on the website. Writers of articles are required to disclose whether they have a position in any stock or fund discussed in an article, but are not permitted to disclose the size or direction of the position. Nothing on this website is intended to solicit business of any kind for a writer's business or fund. Minyanville management and staff as well as contributing writers will not respond to emails or other communications requesting investment advice.NEW YORK, NY, Jan 03, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Gold mining stocks have come under significant pressure in recent months amid widespread weakness in precious metals. According to the Associated Press much of the decline in gold can be blamed on questions about Europe's efforts to resolve its sovereign debt crisis and what the impact on the global economy will be. A slowdown in growth in China has also been a factor. The Paragon Report examines the outlook for companies in the Gold industry and provides equity research on Yamana Gold, Inc.The Paragon Report provides investors with an excellent first step in their due diligence by providing daily trading ideas, and consolidating the public information available on them. For more investment research on the gold industry register with us free at www.paragonreport.com and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.Great Basin Gold Ltd. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal deposits. It explores for gold, silver, and aggregate. The company is currently focused on its two producing mines in the world's two richest gold regions: the Hollister Project on the Carlin Trend in Nevada, USA and the Burnstone Mine in the Witwatersrand goldfield of South Africa.The Paragon Report has not been compensated by any of the above-mentioned publicly traded companies. Paragon Report is compensated by other third party organizations for advertising services. We act as an independent research portal and are aware that all investment entails inherent risks. Please view the full disclaimer at http://www.paragonreport.com/disclaimerThe year has started with pump prices at record highs, and the stage is set for a volatile 2012 that could see sharp increases. Here's why.As you review your investments, think about how this year might be different as well as how it could bring more of the same as 2011 in your portfolio.The action you requested requires a MarketWatch Community display name.MarketWatch Community is a free service that lets you discover, organize and share MarketWatch stories with other readers.The action you requested is only available to MarketWatch members.By registering, you are agreeing to MarketWatch's Terms of Service and to receiving periodic news and special offers via email about MarketWatch enhancements, products and services.Please register to gain free access to WSJ tools.An account already exists for the email address entered.This service is temporary unavailable due to system maintenance. Please try again later.another account. Please enter a different usernameThe email address you have entered is already in use.From time to time, we will send you e-mail announcements on new features and special offers from The Wall Street Journal Online.Dow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visitDow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visitThe quest for a vaccine against AIDS is gaining momentum, with research published Wednesday identifying promising new candidates that protected monkeys against a powerful strain of the virus and which soon could be tested in humans.Excessive pay for bosses at struggling companies represents a market failure and shareholders will be given more powers to block bumper deals, said Prime Minister David Cameron.The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:The email address null is already associated with another account. Please enter a different email address:LINKS TO ACTUAL PAGE CONTAINING WEB SLICE FUNCTIONALITY.Data today is expected to show European consumer confidence slumped to the lowest in more than two years in December, while retail sales in the region fell in November and German factory orders declined, according to the median forecasts in Bloomberg surveys of economists. The U.S. economy probably generated 155,000 jobs in December, compared with 120,000 the previous month, based on estimates before a Labor Department report.The euro was at 98.67 yen from 98.63 yesterday, when it touched 98.48 yen, the weakest since December 2000. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Jan. 9 in Berlin to talk about increasing fiscal coordination among euro-region states ahead of the European Union leaders' summit at the end of the month.The Shanghai Composite Index erased an earlier loss of as much as 0.7 percent amid speculation the central bank will lower banks' reserve-requirement ratios. The monetary authority said today it has suspended bill sales until after the Lunar New Year break, which ends Jan. 29. The Hang Seng Index fell 1.1 percent today, poised for the biggest slump in three weeks.Elpida Memory Inc., which makes computer memory chips, tumbled 5.4 percent in Tokyo. Nomura Holdings Inc. cut its 2012 growth forecast for global shipments of dynamic random access memory after prices of the chips used to help computers juggle programs fell.Oil for February delivery declined 0.1 percent to $101.70 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Energy Department data showed crude supplies climbed 2.2 million barrels last week, compared with a forecast for a 1 million barrel decline in a Bloomberg News survey. Oil has risen 2.9 percent this week on concern that sanctions against Iran will curb supplies.The European Commission is forecast to confirm today that an index of household sentiment in the single-currency area fell to minus 21.2 from minus 20.4 in November, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey before the report. Retail sales in the region probably dropped 0.4 percent in November, while German factory orders fell 1.8 percent, economist projections show.The man who captured the most famous single moment in Bay Area sports history recalls it all.Be the first to share your thoughts on this story.Another factor helping gold Friday was renewed interest in physical buying. Nigel Moffatt, treasurer and manager at the Perth Mint Depository, said there has been an increase in Chinese and Indian buying during the first week in January."We did not produce many kilobars in the past three weeks due to zero demand out of India and very limited Chinese demand due to Chinese dealers being overstocked," said Moffatt.The Bombay Bullion Association said that in the first quarter India might import 143 tons, just half of what it did in 2011 primarily due to higher prices as the rupee continues to depreciate against the dollar. This comes after very low demand in the fourth quarter.Nadler instead is watching gold ETF inflows, which he said were 50% lower in 2011 versus 2010. Nadler said that the gold ETFs added 134 tons during the year versus 291 tons in the second quarter of 2010 and 465 tons in the first quarter of 2009. Redemptions were minimal, however, thePursche, on the other hand, said he expects investor demand to pick up in 2012 as Europe resolves its debt issues and global growth increases.China recently lowered its reserve ratio requirements, which means banks are allowed to hold less cash in their coffers. A more dramatic rate cut hasn't materialized, but China's two-day Financial Work Conference begins Friday. The country holds the economy policy meeting every five years to lay out its plan for its economy, which might help shed some light on its monetary goals.Disclosure: TheStreet's editorial policy prohibits staff editors and reporters from holding positions in any individual stocks.Get money-making ideas from the hottest investment vehicle on the planet. Our experts show you how to play various ETF sectors to help pump-up your portfolio.Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes for all exchanges. Market Data provided byTheStreet Ratings updates stock ratings daily. However, if no rating change occurs, the data on this page does not update. The data does update after 90 days if no rating change occurs within that time period.IDC calculates the Market Cap for the basic symbol to include common shares only. Year-to-date mutual fund returns are calculated on a monthly basis by Value Line and posted mid-month.The fact that gold producers are paying a dividend is worth exploring. First, it means gold producers have cash flow. Now whether or not the best use of free cash flow is to return it to shareholders instead of pouring it into new exploration is for the punters to decide. But the fact is, gold is set to finish higher for the 11th straight year. Higher prices are boosting cash flow for producers.Producers are paying dividends partly because they have the cash, but also because they have competition. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) have become a popular vehicle for precious metals investors to hitch a ride on rising prices. Low-cost ETFs have generally been bullish for gold bullion prices. But they may have also sucked out liquidity that in the past would have gone into gold stocks.One further note to all this. The scandal at MF Global will turn out to be incredibly bullish for gold andImagine leaving your car to be valet parked while you go eat dinner with your wife. You eat a pleasant holiday meal, perhaps a Wagyu beef steak from the Margaret River, washed down with a 2007 Forrest Hill Cab Sav. When the valet comes back with your car, 28% of it - all of the boot and most of the rear tires - are gone. That would ruin your dinner.It's possible that no one but the paranoid and the idle are going to take note of what happens to MF's customers. But it's also possible that investors inmay return to the share market in order to get exposure to precious metals. Keep an eye on that for 2012 - the return of gold stocks!Gold stocks carry their own risks, of course. But a small reallocation by investors from ETFs and futures and to share could be a big boost for shares, which have lagged the bullion price this year. And of course all of this assumes bullion prices are not in a bear market but on the verge of a mania phase.What do you think could happen when ordinary people realise that what's theirs may not really be theirs when they need it? Definancialising your life - extracting the value of your labour from the financial system and converting into a permanent store of value - is what we've been banging on about for years now. It's not too late. But you might want to hurry.