Melbourne

WITH gold prices soaring this year after three years of losses, the world's best performing bullion company is looking to add to its hedge book as a growing number of producers move to lock in profits.

St Barbara Ltd, the biggest gainer on the 44-member Bloomberg Intelligence Gold Mining Competitive Peers Index in the past year, Evolution Mining Ltd, Australia's second-biggest producer, and South Africa's Harmony Gold Mining Co are among companies which have put in hedges in February spurred by prices hitting highs in some local currencies.