Nearly $5,000 gold is nice ... but here’s what most gold bugs are missing

Dear Reader,

Gold recently broke past nearly $5,000.

Gold bugs are out celebrating. And they should be.

But our gold expert Sean Brodrick saw this coming a long time ago.

He's actually excited about something else that could do much, MUCH better.

You see, every time gold has a big run, one type of stock goes absolutely crazy.

For instance, when this happened in the 2000s, gold rose 454%.

But some stocks saw gains like 5,090%, 7,746%, 9,850% and more.

In fact, our team identified 98 different stocks that delivered gains of at least 1,000%.

The most important part?

Now, Sean thinks we're in the early stages of the biggest bull market in gold yet.

He's actually found five companies that he believes could deliver explosive gains.

But the window won't stay open long …

Because when gold moves this fast, these stocks have moved even faster.

Click here to discover Sean's five top picks to benefit from this gold surge

Eliza Lasky
Weiss Advocate

This Month's Bonus Content

This Country's Stock Market Was the World's Top Performer in 2025

By Leo Miller. Article Published: 1/28/2026.

Quick Look

U.S. stocks have dominated global returns over the past 20 years, far outpacing developed and emerging markets overall.
That trend flipped in 2025, when international benchmarks delivered much stronger gains than the S&P 500.
South Korea led the global leaderboard, powered by AI-linked memory chip winners and reform-driven momentum heading into 2026.

Over long periods, U.S. stocks have established themselves as among the best performers in global equity markets. Over the 20 years ending Jan. 26, 2026, the S&P 500 Index delivered a total return of more than 650%.

The iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (NYSEARCA: EFA) and the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA: EEM) track international stock market performance. EFA focuses on stocks in developed economies, while EEM focuses on emerging-market economies. Over the same period, these ETFs returned less than 200%.

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However, the U.S. lagged in 2025. The S&P 500's 17.7% total return was well behind EFA and EEM, which gained 31.5% and 34.0%, respectively. Among international markets, one country outperformed them all. This U.S. ally is a key player in the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem and saw massive gains in its largest companies.

Samsung and SK Hynix Lead South Korea's Rally

In 2025, South Korea was the world's best-performing stock market. The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSEARCA: EWY), which tracks more than 80 South Korean stocks, returned 95% for the year. JPMorgan notes that in U.S. dollar terms, the South Korean market gained almost 101%.

South Korea's market is highly concentrated — a dynamic that worked in its favor in 2025. Samsung Electronics (OTCMKTS: SSNLF) and SK Hynix together account for roughly 45% of EWY's weighting (26.5% and 18.4%, respectively). Listed shares of those companies delivered huge gains last year: Samsung returned about 130%, while SK Hynix surged roughly 278%. A third major player, U.S. rival Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU), rose about 240%.

With AI systems increasing demand for advanced memory chips and supplies tight, chip prices jumped in 2025. Analysts expect further price increases in 2026. Rising prices have boosted revenue, margins and profits, prompting investors to bid up shares of these memory-focused firms.

Value Up Reforms Look to Mitigate "Korean Discount"

Reforms to South Korea's corporate governance have also helped the rally. The country's market has long suffered from the so-called "Korean Discount," where Korean stocks often trade at lower valuation multiples than peers elsewhere, largely because minority shareholders historically lacked strong protections.

Chaebols — large, family-controlled conglomerates — dominate much of the South Korean economy. They often limit the influence of outside shareholders and make it harder to assess true corporate value. These structures primarily serve to protect family control rather than maximize shareholder value.

Politicians are addressing these issues through the "Value Up" program. Reforms include extending the fiduciary duty of independent directors from the "Company" to the "Company and Shareholders," which allows minority owners to challenge decisions that are not in their interests.

Memory Stocks and Value Up Could Support More Upside in 2026

Looking ahead, many analysts remain bullish on South Korea. Goldman Sachs projects a 23% return for the Korean market in 2026, in U.S. dollar terms. Samsung and SK Hynix control around 80% of the global market for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, positioning them to benefit from continued shortages. Still, their sharp run-ups raise questions about the sustainability of further gains.

Morgan Stanley also views South Korea as early in its Value Up journey, citing tax reform, treasury share cancellations and consistent government follow-through as steps that could build investor confidence. It notes, however, that South Korea's tax policy is "notoriously difficult to predict."

EWY is the simplest way for U.S. investors to gain exposure to the South Korean market. Keep in mind that returns will also be affected by fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the South Korean won.

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