An 1849-Style Gold Rush in 2009

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5 Stocks that Profit from Rising Gold Prices

Did you know there are some analysts out there calling for gold to hit $2,000 an ounce? This precious metal just crossed over $1,000 an ounce and already they’re calling for another double!

I’m not one to speculate on gold prices, but I know in an environment like this gold rushes are created, and I want you to profit. There’s no need to go out and buy picks, shovels and mining pans. You can make money from this opportunity without leaving your house or selling off your old jewelry. There are stocks benefiting from the market forces pushing gold and other precious metals higher, and I have five to tell you about today.

First off, you need to know that inflation (fueled by a weak U.S. dollar) has been driving up commodity prices in recent months. That’s why gold has been surging in 2009 and recently topped $1,030 an ounce. The recession thrust the mining sector into a prolonged bear market. Very little money was going into the search for new deposits because the payback simply wasn’t there. But the tide has shifted—mining companies are cranking up their budgets and ramping up exploration for new deposits to capitalize on resurging precious metal prices.

Mining stocks are rallying on explosive buying pressure as rising metal prices attract investors to this sector in droves. Here’s my take on five major mining plays:

NEXT: Gold Stock #1: Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX)