What ETF Has Gold and Silver?
ETFs offer an easy and straightforward way to diversify your portfolio with precious metals, but it’s essential that investors understand their risks before purchasing one.
iShares Silver Trust holds physical silver bars in vaults, which helps lower costs (insurance, storage) and risks (theft, misplacement) when compared with alternative investments like silver coins. Furthermore, it tracks price performance closely.
The iShares Silver Trust provides investors with an efficient and straightforward means of accessing the silver market. Each iShares share represents a fractional beneficial ownership stake in silver held by ETF less expenses and liabilities.
The iShares Silver Trust is an open-ended exchange-traded fund (ETF) registered in the US that follows the price of silver, which may be subject to multiple risks due to economic conditions, industrial uses and discretionary consumer spending. It tracks these risks closely.
The price of an iShares Silver Trust is determined by its net asset value (NAV). NAV can be volatile and you could potentially incur losses by buying shares at prices above their NAV for various reasons, such as an enthusiastic reception to the fund or different trading hours between AMEX and other international silver markets.
Sprott Physical Silver Trust ETF (NYSE:PSLV)
Silver ETFs provide investors with access to the price gains of precious metals without incurring the costs and risks associated with owning physical silver bars. iShares Silver Trust ETF (NYSE:SLV) is the market-leading silver ETF and provides investors with cost-effective access to this precious resource.
The Sprott Physical Silver Trust ETV (NYSE:PSLV) is an exchange-traded fund launched and managed by Sprott Asset Management LP that invests primarily in physical silver bullion in London Good Delivery bar form. Established on June 30, 2010 and based out of Toronto, Canada.
Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:GDX)
GDX is one of the most well-known ETFs to trade in gold mining, tracking a modified market-cap weighted index which focuses on global companies which mine gold.
Gold mining profitability depends heavily on the current spot price for yellow metal. Therefore, their share prices tend to follow suit with physical gold prices and vice versa.
Gold prices typically perform well during times of financial uncertainty and inflation, as investors looking for safe haven investments often turn to gold as an antidote. It also serves as a hedge against rising interest rates that suppress dollar values while lower rates cause it to weaken against other currencies.
GDX charges 51bps trading fees compared to an industry average of 40bps; however, due to its high liquidity and turnover levels these fees become almost inconsequential for traders. GDX also provides leveraged exposure to gold mining industry which may multiply returns for investors.
Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:GDXJ)
GDXJ is one of the most sought-after ETFs to trade online, providing investors with exposure to gold mining companies. It is a market cap weighted index containing 51 gold-mining stocks with large cap firms alongside smaller cap firms as constituents.
Gold miner stocks exhibit a strong correlation to gold prices, since their profits depend on the current spot price for precious metals such as platinum or palladium. If the cost to dig an ounce of gold increases from PS400 per ounce to PS600 per ounce, their expected profits would double and vice versa.
Gold-related ETFs can be seen as leveraged plays on their underlying commodity, making them volatile investments that offer exposure to any gold bull run. As such, they make for great diversification opportunities during times of financial uncertainty or inflation as people seek hard assets like gold as an alternative investment option; falling interest rates also boost demand for this precious metal by decreasing its attractiveness relative to other forms of debt.
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