SPDR Gold ETF Surges 25% Year-to-Date, Outperforming Major Stocks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 30 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Gold ETF Performance: The SPDR Gold ETF has surged 25% year-to-date, outperforming Palantir Technologies (down 12%) and Nvidia (up 3%), and has exceeded these AI stocks by at least 50 percentage points over the last six months, highlighting gold's strong appeal as a safe-haven asset.
- Hedge Fund Accumulation: Billionaire hedge fund managers Israel Englander and Ken Griffin increased their holdings in the SPDR Gold ETF by 104,900 shares and 255,100 shares respectively in Q3 2025, with Griffin also purchasing call options, indicating their confidence in the gold market and strategic portfolio adjustments.
- Gold Price Dynamics: Gold's low correlation with stocks and bonds makes it an ideal choice for investors during periods of global tension and economic uncertainty, as historical data shows that gold can provide effective hedging during significant market drawdowns.
- Future Price Expectations: Several financial institutions project gold prices to reach between $5,300 and $6,000 per ounce by 2026, and despite mixed opinions on the geopolitical and economic turmoil caused by Trump's policies, the overall trend remains bullish, suggesting investors should consider increasing their exposure to gold ETFs to mitigate potential risks.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy C?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on C
Wall Street analysts forecast C stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for C is 125.50 USD with a low forecast of 87.00 USD and a high forecast of 146.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
16 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 115.740
Low
87.00
Averages
125.50
High
146.00
Current: 115.740
Low
87.00
Averages
125.50
High
146.00
About C
Citigroup Inc. is a global diversified financial services holding company. The Company’s segments include Services, Markets, Banking, Wealth and U.S. Personal Banking (USPB). The Services segment includes Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) and securities services. TTS provides an integrated suite of tailored cash management, trade and working capital solutions to multinational corporations, financial institutions and public sector organizations. The Markets segment provides corporate, institutional and public sector clients around the world with a full range of sales and trading services across equities, foreign exchange, rates, spread products and commodities. The Banking segment includes investment banking, which supports client capital-raising needs to help strengthen and grow their businesses. The Wealth segment includes Private Bank, Wealth at Work and Citigold and provides financial services to a range of client segments. USPB segment includes branded cards and retail services.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Chipotle Plans Continued Price Increases Targeting High-Income Customers
- High-Income User Insight: Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright revealed in a recording that 60% of core users earn over $100,000 annually, providing the company with confidence to target this demographic more effectively, potentially enhancing brand loyalty and sales.
- Earnings Beat Expectations: In its Q4 2025 report, Chipotle posted adjusted earnings per share of $0.25, exceeding the $0.24 consensus, with revenue of $2.98 billion surpassing the $2.96 billion estimate, demonstrating resilience in profitability despite operational challenges.
- Sales Decline: Despite the strong earnings report, comparable restaurant sales fell 2.5% year-over-year, primarily due to a 3.2% decrease in transactions, indicating challenges in customer traffic that could impact future growth potential.
- Market Performance Analysis: Chipotle has a market capitalization of $219.53 billion, with a 52-week high of $124.17 and a low of $55.51, while the current Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 53.13, suggesting the stock is in a long-term consolidation phase with short-term upward momentum.
See More
Citigroup Executives Confident in Compliance Work Completion
- Compliance Progress: Citigroup executives express growing confidence in completing compliance work on regulatory demands issued over five years ago, with expectations to finalize this work within the year, contributing to a 1.1% rise in premarket stock trading.
- Reduced Regulatory Restrictions: Reports indicate that Citigroup anticipates facing fewer regulatory restrictions this year, allowing the company to shift focus towards business growth rather than solely on transformation efforts related to consent orders.
- Fines and Remediation: The bank faced a $400 million penalty in 2020 for mistakenly transferring $900 million and was hit with another $135.6 million fine in 2024, highlighting ongoing pressure to improve risk management and internal controls.
- Strategic Priority: CEO Jane Fraser emphasizes that completing compliance work is the company's top priority, and successfully lifting consent orders will enable Citigroup to allocate more resources towards enhancing profitability and pursuing currently prohibited acquisitions.
See More
Mullin's Small-Cap Stock Investments Update
- Stock Purchase Overview: On January 5, 2026, Mullin disclosed purchases of 10 stocks, each ranging from $15,000 to $50,000, indicating his ongoing interest in small and mid-cap stocks, with most having market capitalizations below $20 billion.
- Small-Cap Characteristics: Notably, two of these stocks have market caps under $5 billion, reinforcing Mullin's preference for smaller stocks, which could influence his decisions on the Armed Services Committee, particularly regarding future government contracts.
- Historical Trade Review: Prior to this, on December 29, 2025, Mullin bought six of the Magnificent Seven stocks, investing at least $50,000, highlighting his preference for tech stocks, with Microsoft Corp (MSFT) being the largest investment.
- Potential Conflict of Interest: Given Mullin's role on the Armed Services Committee, Benzinga will closely monitor his future stock trades, especially concerning potential conflicts arising from military actions in countries like Venezuela.
See More
Nuclear Market Recovery: Promising Prospects for Cameco and NuScale
- Market Recovery: Following a decade-long slump post-Fukushima, the nuclear energy market is rebounding due to rising power demands and AI market expansion, with global nuclear capacity projected to increase by 2.6 times by 2050.
- Cameco's Growth Potential: As the world's second-largest uranium miner, Cameco's uranium price has surged from $18 per pound in 2016 to $94, with expectations to reach $100, prompting the company to restart idled mines to meet demand; analysts forecast revenue and EPS growth of 9% and 91%, respectively, from 2024 to 2027.
- NuScale's Innovation: NuScale's small modular reactors (SMRs) are designed for deployment in areas unsuitable for conventional reactors; while still in the front-end engineering phase, a contract with the Tennessee Valley Authority will facilitate expansion before 2032.
- Investment Value: Despite Cameco's P/E ratio of 69 and NuScale's P/S ratio of 37, both companies' strategic investments and growing market demand may support their high valuations, positioning them as key players in the future of nuclear energy.
See More
Analysis of MGC's 52-Week High and Low Points
- Price Fluctuation Analysis: MGC's 52-week low is $173.32, with a high of $255.75, and the latest trade at $246.83 indicates the stock is fluctuating near its high, potentially influencing investor buying decisions.
- Technical Analysis Tool: Comparing the latest share price to the 200-day moving average can provide valuable insights for investors, helping to assess market trends and price movements effectively.
- ETF Trading Mechanism: Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trade similarly to stocks, where investors are buying and selling 'units' that can be created or destroyed based on demand, impacting liquidity and market performance.
- Inflows and Outflows Monitoring: Weekly monitoring of changes in shares outstanding for ETFs helps identify those experiencing significant inflows or outflows, which can affect the underlying stocks held within the ETFs and influence overall market dynamics.
See More
Cameco's Stock Soars 750% Amid Nuclear Energy Resurgence
- Stock Performance: Cameco's stock surged nearly 750% over the past five years, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's less than 80% rise, highlighting its strong position in the resurgent nuclear energy market and attracting investor interest.
- Uranium Price Recovery: The spot price of uranium has rebounded from $18 per pound in 2016 to $94, driven by surging demand from the cloud and AI sectors, prompting countries to restart nuclear projects and enhancing Cameco's market outlook.
- Revenue Growth: Cameco is projected to achieve a 29% CAGR in revenue from 2021 to 2024, with analysts forecasting revenue and EPS growth rates of 9% and 91%, respectively, from 2024 to 2027, indicating a significant enhancement in the company's profitability.
- Dividend Potential: Although Cameco's current dividend yield is only 0.15%, its 13% payout ratio provides ample room for future increases, and analysts expect uranium prices to continue rising, which will generate additional cash flow to support dividend hikes.
See More
Chipotle Plans Continued Price Increases Targeting High-Income Customers
- High-Income User Insight: Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright revealed in a recording that 60% of core users earn over $100,000 annually, providing the company with confidence to target this demographic more effectively, potentially enhancing brand loyalty and sales.
- Earnings Beat Expectations: In its Q4 2025 report, Chipotle posted adjusted earnings per share of $0.25, exceeding the $0.24 consensus, with revenue of $2.98 billion surpassing the $2.96 billion estimate, demonstrating resilience in profitability despite operational challenges.
- Sales Decline: Despite the strong earnings report, comparable restaurant sales fell 2.5% year-over-year, primarily due to a 3.2% decrease in transactions, indicating challenges in customer traffic that could impact future growth potential.
- Market Performance Analysis: Chipotle has a market capitalization of $219.53 billion, with a 52-week high of $124.17 and a low of $55.51, while the current Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 53.13, suggesting the stock is in a long-term consolidation phase with short-term upward momentum.
See More
Citigroup Executives Confident in Compliance Work Completion
- Compliance Progress: Citigroup executives express growing confidence in completing compliance work on regulatory demands issued over five years ago, with expectations to finalize this work within the year, contributing to a 1.1% rise in premarket stock trading.
- Reduced Regulatory Restrictions: Reports indicate that Citigroup anticipates facing fewer regulatory restrictions this year, allowing the company to shift focus towards business growth rather than solely on transformation efforts related to consent orders.
- Fines and Remediation: The bank faced a $400 million penalty in 2020 for mistakenly transferring $900 million and was hit with another $135.6 million fine in 2024, highlighting ongoing pressure to improve risk management and internal controls.
- Strategic Priority: CEO Jane Fraser emphasizes that completing compliance work is the company's top priority, and successfully lifting consent orders will enable Citigroup to allocate more resources towards enhancing profitability and pursuing currently prohibited acquisitions.
See More
Mullin's Small-Cap Stock Investments Update
- Stock Purchase Overview: On January 5, 2026, Mullin disclosed purchases of 10 stocks, each ranging from $15,000 to $50,000, indicating his ongoing interest in small and mid-cap stocks, with most having market capitalizations below $20 billion.
- Small-Cap Characteristics: Notably, two of these stocks have market caps under $5 billion, reinforcing Mullin's preference for smaller stocks, which could influence his decisions on the Armed Services Committee, particularly regarding future government contracts.
- Historical Trade Review: Prior to this, on December 29, 2025, Mullin bought six of the Magnificent Seven stocks, investing at least $50,000, highlighting his preference for tech stocks, with Microsoft Corp (MSFT) being the largest investment.
- Potential Conflict of Interest: Given Mullin's role on the Armed Services Committee, Benzinga will closely monitor his future stock trades, especially concerning potential conflicts arising from military actions in countries like Venezuela.
See More
Nuclear Market Recovery: Promising Prospects for Cameco and NuScale
- Market Recovery: Following a decade-long slump post-Fukushima, the nuclear energy market is rebounding due to rising power demands and AI market expansion, with global nuclear capacity projected to increase by 2.6 times by 2050.
- Cameco's Growth Potential: As the world's second-largest uranium miner, Cameco's uranium price has surged from $18 per pound in 2016 to $94, with expectations to reach $100, prompting the company to restart idled mines to meet demand; analysts forecast revenue and EPS growth of 9% and 91%, respectively, from 2024 to 2027.
- NuScale's Innovation: NuScale's small modular reactors (SMRs) are designed for deployment in areas unsuitable for conventional reactors; while still in the front-end engineering phase, a contract with the Tennessee Valley Authority will facilitate expansion before 2032.
- Investment Value: Despite Cameco's P/E ratio of 69 and NuScale's P/S ratio of 37, both companies' strategic investments and growing market demand may support their high valuations, positioning them as key players in the future of nuclear energy.
See More
Analysis of MGC's 52-Week High and Low Points
- Price Fluctuation Analysis: MGC's 52-week low is $173.32, with a high of $255.75, and the latest trade at $246.83 indicates the stock is fluctuating near its high, potentially influencing investor buying decisions.
- Technical Analysis Tool: Comparing the latest share price to the 200-day moving average can provide valuable insights for investors, helping to assess market trends and price movements effectively.
- ETF Trading Mechanism: Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trade similarly to stocks, where investors are buying and selling 'units' that can be created or destroyed based on demand, impacting liquidity and market performance.
- Inflows and Outflows Monitoring: Weekly monitoring of changes in shares outstanding for ETFs helps identify those experiencing significant inflows or outflows, which can affect the underlying stocks held within the ETFs and influence overall market dynamics.
See More
Cameco's Stock Soars 750% Amid Nuclear Energy Resurgence
- Stock Performance: Cameco's stock surged nearly 750% over the past five years, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's less than 80% rise, highlighting its strong position in the resurgent nuclear energy market and attracting investor interest.
- Uranium Price Recovery: The spot price of uranium has rebounded from $18 per pound in 2016 to $94, driven by surging demand from the cloud and AI sectors, prompting countries to restart nuclear projects and enhancing Cameco's market outlook.
- Revenue Growth: Cameco is projected to achieve a 29% CAGR in revenue from 2021 to 2024, with analysts forecasting revenue and EPS growth rates of 9% and 91%, respectively, from 2024 to 2027, indicating a significant enhancement in the company's profitability.
- Dividend Potential: Although Cameco's current dividend yield is only 0.15%, its 13% payout ratio provides ample room for future increases, and analysts expect uranium prices to continue rising, which will generate additional cash flow to support dividend hikes.
See More
