Barrick Gold Corp., the world's largest producer, will report a 41 percent gain in profit to a record $5.04 billion next year, the mean of 10 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg shows. The Toronto-based company's shares fell 26 percent this year and will gain 43 percent in the next 12 months, according to the average of 23 forecasts.
Monetary Stimulus
Analysts predict Newmont Mining Corp. and AngloGold Ashanti, the next-biggest, will also report the most profit ever next year.
"It looks as though global monetary stimulus is likely to continue, particularly in the wake of growing fiscal austerity," said Alan Gayle, a senior strategist at RidgeWorth Capital Management in Richmond, Virginia, which oversees about $47 billion of assets. "That puts pressure on the monetary authorities to stimulate the economy and that will debase the currencies and put a bid under gold."