Volatility is the one word that best describes the market over the past several weeks — and the  causes of the volatility are many, asserts Mark Skousen, editor of Fast Money Alert.

Worries over U.S.-China trade negotiations, the slowing pace of earnings growth, compression in the yield curve and fears over central bank policy all have teamed up to turn this market into one giant roller coaster.

Yet through the big ups and downs of late, there are still stocks trending higher on strong fundamentals and strong fast-money technicals. One stock powering higher despite the rough market seas is in a sector that is traditionally known for giving portfolios a firm ballast — gold.

That stock is Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (KL), a Canada-based gold producer that operates in one segment consisting of a mining and milling operation. Its operations include the Macassa Mine and Mill and four contiguous formerly gold-producing mining properties.

The primary product from the mining operations of the company is the sale of gold doré bars. Those operations have helped vault KL into the stratosphere in terms of earnings growth, with annual earnings per share (EPS) growth over the past three years of 250%.

As for share price performance, the gains in KL over the past 52 weeks of nearly 80% have put it in the top 2% of performers relative to all stocks in the market. Now that is golden performance!

Perhaps more significant is the 26% move higher over the past month vs. the S&P 500’s 2% decline over the same time. Yet despite the gains in KL of late, the shares are just beginning to break out of a bullish cup-with-handle basing pattern, and that means we think there’s much more upside to come.

If the current volatility and rough market seas continue, Kirkland Lake Gold is the kind of fast-money stock that will continue to sail higher. So, let’s buy at market, with a protective stop at $19.10.

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