Gold stocks continue to surge higher, as the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX) climbed 1.6% last week to close at $55.67.  As gold mining producers rallied, the GDX traded within $0.20 of its $56.87 all-time high – reached on March 14, 2008 amid the collapse of Bear Stearns.

The S&P/TSX Global Gold Index, a composite of the world’s largest gold stocks, rose 2.17 points to close at 399.62.  The GDX and Global Gold Index extended their year-to-date gains to 20.5% and 19.6%, respectively.