For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 10, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Freeport-McMoRan (FCX), Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX), Deutsche Telekom (DT), AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ).

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Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:

No Inflation Problem

How, then, does one explain the recent move in the price of gold to over $1,100 an ounce? Historically, gold has been seen as the ultimate inflation hedge. Its rise over the past year to record nominal levels (it would have to roughly double to match its inflation-adjusted

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Analytically, there are three components to an interest rate. The first is the risk that the money will not be paid back. This is a very big factor when dealing with corporate bonds, especially junk bonds. For the U.S. government's obligations, as the owner of a nice shiny printing press that can always be turned on to pay back any obligation denominated in dollars, that part is assumed to be zero. The second part is expected inflation. After all, if you decide that you want to consume something later, rather than today, and thus decide to save and invest your money, you want to be sure the dollar you put away today buys at least as much in, say, ten years that it does today. If you expect that it will buy less bread, gasoline and clothing in ten years, then you would demand a higher interest rate ...

The world’s largest gold producer, Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX) and its wholly owned subsidiary, Barrick Australia Finance Pty Ltd., are planning to issue $1.25 billion in debt securities comprised of $400 million of 4.95% notes due 2020 and $850 million of 5.95% notes due 2039. The offering is expected to close on Oct 16. Barrick plans to use the net proceeds from the offering to further reduce the liability related to its floating spot price (fully participating) gold contracts. In September this year, Barrick had raised about $3 billion representing 81.2 million common shares at a price of $36.95 per share as a part of its plan to eliminate gold hedges. Barrick’s gold sales contracts -- which comprise gold hedges and floating contracts -- totaled 9.5 million ounces with a mark-to-market position of negative $5.6 billion. Barrick Gold intends to use $1.9 billion of the net proceeds to

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Gold cracked the $1,000-an-ounce barrier for a second time last week, and the New York spot price is now hovering right around that four-digit mark. The first time this happened, in March 2008, the price plummeted to the low $900s within a couple of days. No one knows what gold will do this time around, but there are some plausible reasons why the price could stay higher longer. The first reason is one that wersquo;ve discussed beforemdash;we are now in what has historically been goldrsquo;s strongest season of the year. September is goldrsquo;s best month of the year in terms of month-over-month price appreciation, the key driver being jewelry makers stocking up for holiday buying in Asia, the Middle East and North America. This strength historically lasts until February. A second reason relates to the weak dollar due to prolonged rock-bottom interest rates and massive deficits being piled up in the U.S. Gold ...

Gold cracked the $1,000-an-ounce barrier for a second time last week, and the New York spot price is now hovering right around that four-digit mark. The first time this happened, in March 2008, the price plummeted to the low $900s within a couple of days. No one knows what gold will do this time around, but there are some plausible reasons why the price could stay higher longer. The first reason is one that wersquo;ve discussed beforemdash;we are now in what has historically been goldrsquo;s strongest season of the year. September is goldrsquo;s best month of the year in terms of month-over-month price appreciation, the key driver being jewelry makers stocking up for holiday buying in Asia, the Middle East and North America. This strength historically lasts until February. A second reason relates to the weak dollar due to prolonged rock-bottom interest rates and massive deficits being piled up in the U.S. Gold ...

ING Global Value Choice A (NAWGX) seeks long-term capital appreciation. The fund invests in undervalued US and foreign companies that possess catalysts to improve profitability and/or unlock value.

The fund normally invests in equity securities of companies located in a number of different countries around the world, which may include the United States, believed to have prices below their long-term value. As of January 31, its portfolio turnover was 73%.

The fund's key holdings include Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM), Lihir Gold Ltd. (LIHR) and Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX).

ING Mid Cap Opportunities A(NMCAX) was incepted in August 1998. The investment seeks long-term capital appreciation.

The fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets in the common stocks of mid-sized U.S. companies the managers believe have above-average prospects for growth. It may also invest in derivative instruments

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Today we are featuring top-performing "precious metals" equity mutual funds that invest in gold stocks and/or precious metals or bullion.

Investors can find such funds by checking out the entire list of the Zacks #1 Rank Precious Metals Equity Funds list.

3 Precious Samples

Van Eck Intl Investors Gold A (INIVX) was incepted in February 1956 and seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing in common stocks of gold-mining companies.

The fund may take current income into consideration when choosing investments. It is non-diversified. As of December 2008, its turnover ratio was 18%.

Randgold Resources Ltd. (GOLD), Agnico-Eagle Mines (AEM) and Goldcorp Inc. (G) are among the fund's top holdings.

AIM Gold & Precious Metals A (IGDAX) seeks growth of capital by investing in companies involved in exploring, mining, processing or investing

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Gold traded sideways in the Far East then displayed a nice upward trend through London and New York to finish at $959.00/oz up $17.50. Overnight, gold has moved higher.

Platinum was flat through Hong Kong then off to the races starting about 8 a.m. in New York and managed to tack on an impressive $65.00 before all was said and done, ending at $1123/oz. Overnight, platinum is down slightly.

Silver’s path tracked gold to a T. The precious metal gained 68 cents on the day to close at $13.57/oz. Overnight, silver is trending higher. (Click here for charts)

It was a second straight day of big gains for the precious metals. While gold didn’t fare quite as well as the day before, silver and platinum were up even more.

Bullion’s sharp rise on Thursday is once again attributed to the continuing dollar decline following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s not so surprising announcement

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Barrick Gold Corp. (ABX) posted a fourth-quarter loss as the leading gold miner met a goodwill impairment charge of $773 million.

Excluding costs related to writedowns, the company earned 32 cents a share. Analysts had forecasted a profit of 30 cents for the quarter. Revenue climbed 10% to $2.1 billion as the company sold 2.2 million ounces, up from previous year's levels.

Barrick stated that year-end 2008 gold reserves surged 11% to 138.5 million ounces and its cash position stood at $1.4 billion.

The company expects to produce between 7.2 and 7.6 million ounces this year, compared with the prior year's production of 7.66 million ounces. Cash costs are expected to be in the range of $450 to $475 an ounce in 2009. For 2010, Barrick expects output of 7.7 to 8.1 million ounces.

The company is a Zacks #3 Rank ("Hold").

"ABX" Free Stock Analysis: ...

With food prices on the rise, the price of gold will drive. Martin Hutchinson of Money Morning says, “As gold goes up, it gets more popular and investors start piling into it…” Here are five ways to play bottom-basement gold.This from Mike Cagesso:

Gold hit two historic milestones in 2008. First, it hit its all-time high of $1,030 an ounce in early March.

Just three months later, the price of gold for December delivery fell to $681 an ounce, a 21-month low and 33.9% drop from its record high.

Most gold bugs were equal parts heartbroken and puzzled. Global stock markets tanked alongside the world’s biggest economies. But so did gold, which is widely considered to be a safe haven investment when everything else in spiraling south.

However, Money Morning Contributing Editor Martin Hutchinson- an investment banker with more than 25 years’ experience on Wall Street and

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