VanEck Merk Gold ETF (NYSEARCA:OUNZ) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

VanEck Merk Gold ETF (NYSEARCA:OUNZ) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in March. As of March 13th, there was short interest totaling 366,955 shares, an increase of 473.9% from the February 26th total of 63,943 shares. Approximately 0.6% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 1,252,134 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days.

VanEck Merk Gold ETF Stock Performance

Shares of OUNZ traded down $1.62 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $41.96. The stock had a trading volume of 1,493,018 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,246,319. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $47.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $42.43. VanEck Merk Gold ETF has a fifty-two week low of $28.51 and a fifty-two week high of $53.35. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.97 and a beta of 0.08.

Institutional Trading of VanEck Merk Gold ETF

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of OUNZ. LPL Financial LLC lifted its position in shares of VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 10.0% during the 4th quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 3,190,689 shares of the company’s stock valued at $132,350,000 after buying an additional 290,206 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its holdings in shares of VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 26.7% during the fourth quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,844,154 shares of the company’s stock valued at $76,496,000 after acquiring an additional 388,131 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 11.5% in the third quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,024,698 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,109,000 after acquiring an additional 105,657 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in shares of VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 3.6% in the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 798,267 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,689,000 after acquiring an additional 27,398 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James Financial Inc. boosted its stake in shares of VanEck Merk Gold ETF by 38.4% in the second quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 791,392 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,237,000 after acquiring an additional 219,422 shares during the last quarter.

More VanEck Merk Gold ETF News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo reiterates a strong year-end gold target ($6,200/oz), providing longer-term bullish rationale for physically backed gold ETFs like OUNZ. Gold Struggles Amid Geopolitical Tensions, but Wells Fargo Still Sees $6,200/oz by Year-End
• Positive Sentiment: The Swiss Bankers Association told markets that gold’s role as a store of value is growing, which supports demand for physical-gold ETFs over the medium term. Swiss Bankers Association Says Gold’s Importance as a Store of Value Is Only Increasing
• Positive Sentiment: Industry voices (e.g., WisdomTree) urge investors to buy the correction, suggesting tactical inflows could stabilize ETFs such as OUNZ if dip-buying resumes. If You Aren’t Buying Gold in This Correction, You Never Will, Says WisdomTree’s Shah
• Neutral Sentiment: Commentary on the merits of physical vs. paper gold (Saifedean Ammous) reinforces structural reasons some investors prefer physical exposure — relevant to OUNZ holders but more ideological than price-driving. Physical Gold Neutralized by ‘Paper Trap’ and Banking Monopoly, Saifedean Ammous Says
• Negative Sentiment: A coordinated hawkish shift from the Fed, ECB, BOE and BOJ lifted higher-for-longer expectations, boosting yields and the dollar — classic headwinds for gold and OUNZ. The Fed Meeting Changed Everything
• Negative Sentiment: Rising bond yields and a firmer USDX are cited in multiple market notes as the main drivers of recent sharp gold losses, directly pressuring physically backed ETFs. Solid Losses for Gold, Silver on Firmer USDX, Rising Bond Yields
• Negative Sentiment: Turkey sold ~58.4 tonnes of gold over two weeks — large official selling can add near-term physical supply pressure and weigh on gold-sensitive ETFs like OUNZ. Turkey Taps Its Gold Reserves, Sells 58.4 Tonnes of Gold in Two Weeks
• Negative Sentiment: Geopolitical developments (Iran ceasefire hopes fading) and commodity moves (oil rallies) have reduced safe-haven flows into gold, contributing to the recent sell-off. Gold, Silver Tumble Again. One Thing Is Wreaking Havoc on Precious Metals.

About VanEck Merk Gold ETF

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.