Top Precious Metal Stocks

The weakening of the U.S. dollar has given goldbugs the ride of their lives… and from what we can tell, it’s nowhere near finished. As uncertainty continues to plague markets, gold’s a keeper.

Then we have the slowly-but-seemingly-surely recovering industrial sector pushing up silver demand. You’ll want a silver play in your portfolio.

And the final precious mineral you should own in 2010?

Platinum.

Like silver, the industrial uses for platinum are many and varied: Everything from creating jewelry, to producing medical equipment, to controlling carbon emissions, to serving as an active ingredient in chemotherapy treatments. (In fact, carboplatin is one of the drugs I’m receiving to keep breast cancer at bay.)

The metal took a hit in 2008 and 2009 largely due to a slump in jewelry and auto sales (auto equipment is responsible for much of the industrial demand for platinum). Yet both of these markets are clearly picking up in China… and predicted to do so globally.

Experts reckon platinum could trade up to $1.900/oz in 2010.

Strike now to maximize your gains.

Here at TodaysFinancialNews.com, we have selected one stock that we think will capitalize on the run up of each metal. But you’ll need act fast to see top gains…

Best Precious Metal Stock #1:
Many TFN readers have heard our positive outlook for Great Basin Gold Ltd. (AMEX:GBG). In case your new to us, this gold stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol TSE:GBG. (The slightly higher price reflects the exchange rate of the U.S. vs. the Canadian dollar. If you can buy it without higher transaction cost, we’re all for buying it in Canada. As a U.S. investor, you automatically benefit from any appreciation of the Canadian dollar.)

For ease of tracking sake, we will be following the U.S.-traded shares at Great Basin Gold Ltd. (USA) (AMEX:GBG). Buy under $2 with a profit horizon of 20-30% by April 2010.

Best Precious Metal Stock #2:
Silver Wheaton Corp. (NYSE:SLW) is a silver and gold mining company that generates 100% of its revenue from the sale of precious metals. Its 2008 silver sales totaled 1.7 million ounces and its forecast for 2009 was up to 4.6 million silver equivalent ounces.

Better even, its acquired a “streaming” company with a lock on some of the most productive and reliable silver mines in Mexico, Sweden, Peru, Greece, Arizona, and Canada.

That means they are well-positioned to ride out any regional production shortfalls due to political unrest or environmental crackdowns in any particular country… while leveraging local differentials in the cost of labor to the maximum!

Buy Silver Wheaton Corp. (NYSE:SLW) below $16.25. We’re looking for 20% gains in the next 6 months.

Best Precious Metal Stock #3:
Stillwater Mining Company (NYSE:SWC) is the only U.S. PGM miner. With increasingly higher platinum prices, the company has done better than anticipated with an expected cash flow of close to $200 million as 2009 comes to a close.

Its continued solidity, location, and a mechanized-focus to combat labor issues – and most importantly, demand pressure – should make this miner a winner in 2010.

Buy Stillwater Mining Company (NYSE:SWC) under $10 and hold for double-digit gains.