Recently from GATA... It's not often GATA posts what you don't wanna hear...
"Gold is up 12% this year but shares of gold miners have fallen almost 16%. Smaller gold miners are down almost 40%, based on the returns of leading exchange-traded funds tracking those stocks."
=== I believe this is the primary reason typical small stockmarket investors no longer show much interest in mining shares:
"Investors who once turned to gold miners to gain exposure to bullion now can purchase exchange-traded funds that are backed by gold."
=== Back in the 1980's and 1990's, when I was into those markets, there were no ETF's and it was not possible to {easily} "gain exposure" to the Gold price. Mining shares were the only venue, other than Physical coins or Futures, which needed complicated and very risky/costly special brokerage accounts...
=== plus, shares were always such a hassle, since I had to "diversify" amongst so many. A person risked losing his shirt on most, to squeek a tiny profit or dividend from one or two others...
=== Had there been Gold and Silver ETF's in those days, I'd probably have used those instead.
=== Today, of course, I avoid them all. Physical is the only safe way for Metal fans.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.