By Toni Straka

Having blogged earlier on a physical silver shortage and the drying up of gold bullion purchases, recent events in the precious metals markets justify an update that again arrives at the conclusion that last Friday’s silver and gold price plunge on COMEX has pretty little to do with the actual physical investment demand for gold and silver. Tim Iacono had a good post with the headline “Gold prices getting fishier and fishier,” that does away with the myth that the US mint faces unprecedented demand. I stumbled across several more reports that show the ongoing dichotomy between official spot or futures prices and premiums actually paid by investors, if they can get their coins or bars at all.

The British Evening Standard ran a story over the weekend

The Long Tail theory is not about music, books, and Internet traffic alone. The stock exchange head is crowded, and worth less than it makes itself out to be. Call tails when the stock market coin is spun, and you will win more often than before.

Every stock exchange has rich pickings of unknown stocks. All we need is help to choose. How can rule three of the Long Tail Theory help us pick top small-capital stocks? Here is a free outline of resources that you can use to fish in a long tail.

1. Rate your analyst. The most established stock market experts use misleading non-verbal communication. Suits and antics cover everything from competence to criminality. Ask for specifics of stocks they have recommended over the last 12 months.

2. Raise questions based on the previous quarter.