Drake & Associates LLC Has $17.26 Million Holdings in VanEck Merk Gold ETF $OUNZ

Drake & Associates LLC boosted its holdings in VanEck Merk Gold ETF (NYSEARCA:OUNZ) by 12.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 450,017 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 49,552 shares during the quarter. VanEck Merk Gold ETF accounts for approximately 3.6% of Drake & Associates LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Drake & Associates LLC owned 0.76% of VanEck Merk Gold ETF worth $17,258,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in OUNZ. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. lifted its holdings in shares of VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 0.5% in the third quarter. Stratos Wealth Partners LTD. now owns 88,060 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,275,000 after purchasing an additional 435 shares in the last quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. raised its position in VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 135,234 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,029,000 after buying an additional 3,069 shares during the last quarter. Meixler Investment Management Ltd. raised its position in VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 5.5% in the 3rd quarter. Meixler Investment Management Ltd. now owns 71,698 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,666,000 after buying an additional 3,721 shares during the last quarter. Thompson Davis & CO. Inc. lifted its stake in VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 42.9% during the 3rd quarter. Thompson Davis & CO. Inc. now owns 11,400 shares of the company’s stock valued at $424,000 after acquiring an additional 3,425 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Guild Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Guild Investment Management Inc. now owns 143,290 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,329,000 after acquiring an additional 870 shares during the last quarter.

Key Stories Impacting VanEck Merk Gold ETF

Here are the key news stories impacting VanEck Merk Gold ETF this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ongoing Fed rate-cut expectations remain a primary bullish driver for gold, boosting demand for physical‑backed ETFs like OUNZ. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: High‑profile bullish positioning: hedge‑fund manager David Einhorn has publicly increased exposure to gold, citing the likelihood of deeper Fed easing, which can attract flows into gold ETFs. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: State-level initiatives that increase access to physical bullion (e.g., Texas’ official bullion program and “gold bills”) could lift retail and institutional interest in allocated-gold products, indirectly supporting OUNZ flows. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Fund‑specific technical/positioning tailwind: reported short interest in OUNZ fell ~41.5% in January, reducing bearish pressure and lowering the potential for a short‑squeeze‑driven reversal risk (fewer shorts to cover).
• Positive Sentiment: Near‑to‑medium term bullish outlook from major banks and miners: UBS projects materially higher year‑end gold prices and VanEck commentary highlights miners’ record cash flow supporting reratings—both supportive for gold ETF demand. Read More. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Technicals are mixed: several analysts note gold is testing key Fibonacci resistance and specific patterns (ABCD) that could fuel a breakout if price closes decisively above resistance, but failure to do so keeps moves uncertain. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Gold continues to hold a structural floor around $5,000 amid mixed macro data; that base supports ETFs but also makes short‑term swings data‑dependent. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Countervailing Fed narrative: newer commentary about a possible extended Fed pause (less easing than expected) can reduce gold’s appeal and has pressured prices in recent sessions. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Recent stronger U.S. jobs data and routine profit-taking created intraday selling pressure, reminding investors that gold‑based ETFs like OUNZ remain sensitive to macro surprises. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst warnings about speculative flows mean rallies could be vulnerable to pullbacks if momentum traders unwind positions. Read More.

VanEck Merk Gold ETF Price Performance

NYSEARCA OUNZ opened at $48.96 on Thursday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $44.29 and a 200-day moving average price of $39.21. The firm has a market cap of $3.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.97 and a beta of 0.08. VanEck Merk Gold ETF has a 1 year low of $27.32 and a 1 year high of $53.35.

VanEck Merk Gold ETF Profile

The VanEck Merk Gold Trust (OUNZ) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the LBMA Gold Price index. The fund tracks the gold spot price, less expenses, using gold bars and coins held in London vaults. Investors can redeem their shares for gold in increments of 1 troy oz. OUNZ was launched on May 16, 2014 and is managed by VanEck.