S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are in positive territory again today. That sees the benchmark index up 0.8% in the first week of 2023.
Of course, not all ASX 200 shares have performed equally.
While the year is young, and we're not quite through the final trading day of week one, below are the top three performers so far.
Gold stocks shining bright
The number two and number three top-gaining ASX 200 shares so far in 2023 are both blue-chip gold producers.
Coming in at number three is Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS). The Ramelius share price is up 9.4% this week as we head into the lunch hour, currently trading for $1.02 per share.
With an 11.8% share price gain this week St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) takes the number two spot. St Barbara shares are currently swapping hands for 87 cents.
With no price-sensitive news out, both ASX 200 shares look to be beneficiaries of a rising gold price. Although bullion dipped overnight, it remains up 0.5% in the calendar year, currently trading for US$1,833 per troy ounce.
On Wednesday, the big gold stocks enjoyed some healthy tailwinds as gold prices hit US$1,855. That was up almost 14% since the recent 3 November lows.
The best ASX 200 share performer in 2023 to date
The winner by a nose is Silver Lake Resources Limited (ASX: SLR) which is up 12% in 2023 at the time of writing.
Silver Lake is also a gold miner and producer, with a market cap of just north of $1.2 billion.
With all three top-performing ASX 200 shares strongly focused on gold, it appears investors may be taking a bullish outlook on the demand for the yellow metal in the year ahead.
