Despite entering 2014 on some positive momentum, street expectations for gold are bearish in general, and the metal could spend the coming year range-bound, with the major support level not budging much from around $1,200.

Wednesday’s announcement from the Fed that treasury spending would be cut by another $10 billion was characterized by many as “aggressive”, especially given recent jobs data and forecasts for a less voracious Chinese economy over the year. While stocks dropped across the board following Ben Bernanke’s final post-FOMC press conference as Chairman however, we did not see the kind of panic sends investors running for the shelter of precious metals, a possible indication that Wall Street still sees there being some room for equities to grow.

But this doesn’t mean the smart money isn’t still keeping its eye on certain gold stocks. The following five gold stocks currently have the largest increases in institutional transactions, a figure that expresses the three-month change in fund/financial institution-ownership of a stock.

Kingold Jewelry Inc. (KGJI)

Country: USA

Market-Cap:$120.30 million

Price:$1.87

3-Month Increase in Institutional Transactions:+294.07 percent

2014 Performance:+11.31 percent

Almaden Minerals Ltd. (AAU)

Country:Canada

Market-Cap:$$82.27 million

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Price:$1.37

3-Month Increase in Institutional Transactions:+174.02 percent

2014 Performance:+17.09 percent

Alamos Gold Inc. (AGI)

Country: Canada

Market-Cap:$1.78 billion

Price:$9.19

3-Month Increase in Institutional Transactions:+29.59

2014 Performance:-24.24 percent

Brigus Gold Corp. (BRD)

Country: Canada

Market-Cap:$226.95 million

Price:$0.98

3-Month Increase in Institutional Transactions:+26.10 percent

2014 Performance:+25.64 percent

Vista Gold Corp. (VGZ)

Country:USA

Market-Cap:$51.12 million

Price:$0.63

3-Month Increase in Institutional Transactions:+22.09 percent

2014 Performance:+64.47 percent

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