Finance analyst commentary points to gold futures

Finance analyst commentary points to gold futures breaking $2,350/oz amid rising safe-haven demand. Mining stocks gain traction, led by Newmont and Barrick Gold. Institutional flows into commodities hint at hedging against potential equity drawdowns later this quarter. Top Wall Street analysts' recommendations can help investors pick stocks of dividend-paying companies that have strong fundamentals to support consistent dividend payments. Five Appalachian State University students made a historic run in the world's largest equity research competition. The students — Keira Andrews, Carson Beane, Jack Parquette, Davis Pharr, and Brenden Wortman — make up this year's Broyhill Fellows, App State’s team competing in the CFA Institute Research Challenge. Finance analyst futures positioning data suggests traders are increasing exposure to emerging markets, particularly Brazil's Bovespa index, which is up 1.5% weekly. Commodity-linked economies benefit from stronger metals pricing, adding potential upside for diversified portfolios.