Checking In: GLTR Shines Amid Regional Calamity

This week's visit with a new ETF is an appropriate one for the times, not just because the ETF has been steadily moving higher recently, but because of the factors that have led to its ascent.

Precious metals, namely gold and silver started 2011 out in a swoon after notching impressive runs last year, but thanks to rising political tensions, the metals, silver especially are back and back in a big way and that's helped boost the fortunes of the ETFS Physical PM Basket (NYSE: GLTR), which made its debut in October.

Being first to market is a big deal in the ETF universe and GLTR certainly has that going for it as the ETF is the first to provide investors exposure to phsyical gold, silver, palladium and platinum in one fund. ETF Securities has already seen the advantage of being first to market with its ETFS Physical Palladium Shares (NYSE: PALL) and ETFS Physical Platinum Shares (NYSE: PPLT), the first funds available to U.S. investors backed by those metals.

Now almost six months from its release date, the allure of GLTR remains the same as the pitch used by ETF Securities in October: GLTR is one-stop shopping for the metals-minded investor. Why pick just one of gold, silver, palladium and platinum when you can have all four in one ETF?

GLTR does not equal weight to each metal, rather gold accounts for the largest percentage of GLTR's weight, silver is next and platinum and palladium get roughly the same representation. So for the investor looking to really capture silver's current bull run, GLTR is not the best option.

That said, the Professor recommended this play to subscribers (join us at http://www.benzinga.com/etf-professor) a while back in the low 80s. Now GLTR is pushing $93 and has all the makings of a triple-digit ETF sooner rather than later. Despite its rookie status, GLTR has proven to be a profitable insurance policy against geopolitical events and for investors that want to maximum metals exposure.