Four Top ETFs – GDX, SLV, MOO, BHP, POT, TLT

In the month of August, leveraged inverse ETFs dominated the field. For non-leveraged, non-inverse ETFs, just staying above water was an achievement. ETFs betting on precious metals and Treasuries were tops among the latter category during the month. Here are four outperforming ETFs from the past four weeks.

Gold Diggers

With a return of 11.2% over the course of the last month, the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDX) beat out approximately 95% of all ETFs tracked by Morningstar. This realization should not come as a major surprise given the demise of the equity markets in August coupled with an environment of uncertainty.

On Tuesday, the price of gold broke above $1,250 an ounce and set a two-month high. After a 5.0% pullback in July, the price of gold rebounded to the tune of 5.6% in August. Shares of GDX are up 15.0% so far this year and have proven to be one of the safer investments out there. Subscribers looking to take a position in this ETF are advised to review our GDX trading report prior to pulling the trigger.

August also represented a strong month for silver investors. The iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV) has risen 7.7% during the past month. Silver pushed above the $19.00 per ounce barrier in August and is closing in on a $20.00 per ounce level that it has not seen since the spring of 2008. Registered members looking to play the silver trade are encouraged to check out our SLV trading report for an in-depth technical analysis.

Reaping Healthy Returns

Precious metals were not the only ETFs to have their moment in the sun during the dog days of August. The Market Vectors Agribusiness ETF (NYSE: MOO) picked up a 4.8% gain during the month. This fund has been heating up as it has climbed 15.2% since June 1.

Fertilizer stocks have been bid up in the wake of the BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP) attempted acquisition of Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (NYSE: POT). In the intermediate term, fertilizer companies are hoping that demand will kick up after what has been a dry summer globally. Members looking to take the long side or the short side of the agriculture trade can access our MOO trading report for assistance in implementing adequate risk controls when trading this ETF.

A flight to safety has also made for steady gains by the iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond Fund (NYSE: TLT). The Federal Reserve’s acknowledgement of threats to economic growth in the U.S. has increased the flow of investors into government debt in the short term. Members looking to bet on whether or not this trend is sustainable can access our TLT trading report for additional insight.

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