Barrick (NYSE:ABX), Newmont (NYSE:NEM), Goldcorp (NYSE:GG), Kinross (NYSE:KGC), Agnico-Eagle (NYSE:AEM) All Plunging Since Early December

While gold has fallen some over the last month, it hasn't justified the enormous plunge of gold mining stocks, including large miners like Barrick (NYSE:ABX), Newmont (NYSE:NEM), Goldcorp (NYSE:GG), Kinross (NYSE:KGC) and Agnico-Eagle (NYSE:AEM), which have all dropped significantly since the early part of December.

It seems the unwarranted optimism rolling over the markets at this time has a lot to do with it, as it seems the majority of analysts have little bad to say about most companies, and enter into a love fest with those which look like they're going to outperform this year.

That seems to have taken to focus off the extraordinarily shaky global economy, and even when major bad news is reported, the market has been shaking it off; sometimes it seems ... too easily.

As far as the gold miners, Agnico-Eagle is the worst of the five listed above, falling from their 52-week high by 20 percent. Agnico closed Friday at $69.27, dropping another $1.32, or 1.87 percent.

Kinross isn't too far behind Agnico, falling by 15.5 percent from their 52-week high. Kinross closed Friday at $16.80, losing $0.48, or 2.78 percent.

Barrick Gold has plunged from their 52-week high by 14.9 percent, closing Friday at $47.08, losing $0.36, or 0.76 percent.

Goldcorp has fallen from their 52-week high by 14 percent. They closed Friday at $40.59, dropping $1.48, or 3.52 percent.

Newmont has plummeted from their 52-week high by 13.3 percent, dropping Friday to $55.72, falling $1.09, or 1.92 percent.