Core Viewpoint - Harris Associates L.P. emphasizes a consistent investment philosophy focused on value investing, believing that stock prices will eventually reflect the underlying company's value [1] Investment Philosophy - The company is committed to superior investment research and high levels of customer service, which have remained unchanged since its founding in 1976 [1] - Harris Associates seeks companies trading at significant discounts to their underlying value, with substantial profit potential and management that acts as owners [1] Research Process - The investment process is framed as owning a piece of a business for the long term, highlighting the importance of intensive, fundamental research [1] - The research methodology involves a disciplined quantitative and qualitative screening process, with analysts acting as independent thinkers rather than relying on Wall Street [1] - Analysts at Harris Associates are generalists who evaluate companies based on their fundamental characteristics [1]

Market Reaction to Tax Changes - Gold prices initially slipped by 1% in Asian trading but later recovered, with spot gold trading near $4,012 an ounce in London [2][4] - The recovery followed Beijing's announcement to limit VAT offsets for gold sourced from the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) and the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) [2][4] - Under the new rules, producers of non-investment gold can now deduct only 6% of VAT instead of the previous 13% [2][4] Impact on Jewellery Stocks - The tax changes led to a significant decline in jewellery stocks, with Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd. dropping as much as 12%, Chow Sang Sang Holdings International Ltd. falling over 8%, and Laopu Gold Co. losing more than 9% [3][4] - Analysts predict that the industry will likely raise prices to pass through the cost pressure resulting from the tax changes [3][4] Investor Sentiment and Market Trends - Despite the turbulence, investor appetite for gold remains strong, with prices still over 50% higher since the start of the year [3][4] - Gold reached an all-time high in October due to a surge in retail buying, and core factors such as central bank purchases and safe-haven inflows continue to support the market [3][4] - The recovery in London trading indicates that bullish sentiment towards gold is still firm, despite concerns about the impact of tax changes in China [3][4][5] Performance of Other Precious Metals - In the broader precious metals market, platinum increased by as much as 2.2%, while silver and palladium also recorded small gains [5]

Core Insights - Gold prices dipped below $4,000 an ounce following China's decision to end a long-standing tax rebate for certain retailers, which may negatively impact demand in a major precious metals market [1][2] - The immediate delivery price of gold fell by as much as 1 percent before recovering most of the loss, coinciding with a significant drop in Chinese jewelry stocks [2][4] - Despite a record high in October driven by retail buying, gold prices have seen a sharp decline in the last two weeks of the month, although they remain over 50 percent higher year-to-date [3] Industry Impact - The tax changes in China, the largest consumer of gold, are expected to dampen global sentiment towards gold, according to industry experts [4] - Major jewelry companies in Hong Kong experienced significant stock declines, with Chow Tai Fook Jewelry Group Ltd falling by 12 percent, Chow Sang Sang Holdings International Ltd dropping over 8 percent, and Laopu Gold Co decreasing by more than 9 percent [4] - Analysts predict that the entire gold industry may raise prices to offset the cost pressures resulting from the new tax policy [4] Tax Policy Changes - The new tax policy, effective until the end of 2027, restricts the value-added tax deduction to members of the Shanghai Gold Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange for gold sold as investment products [5] - Non-members and exchange members producing non-investment gold, such as jewelry, can now only offset 6 percent of the input value-added tax when selling to consumers, down from 13 percent [6]

Core Insights - The MSCI Emerging Markets Index has experienced a continuous rally for ten months, driven by an artificial intelligence boom and a weaker dollar, resulting in a 30% increase year-to-date [1][2] - Emerging-market stocks are outperforming US peers for the first time in eight years, leading to forecasts of a multi-year rally from money managers [4] Group 1: Market Performance - The MSCI Emerging Markets Index closed October with a 4% gain, despite a 0.7% drop on the last trading day of the month [1] - Emerging-market bonds also saw gains, with the Bloomberg EM Sovereign Total Return Index of dollar bonds achieving a seventh consecutive month of increases [5] Group 2: Catalysts for Growth - Strong performance in AI-focused Asian tech stocks and a weaker dollar have prompted diversification from US assets [2] - Targeted stimulus in China has positively impacted earnings estimates, fund flows, and overall market sentiment [2] Group 3: Sector Composition - Emerging-market equities are increasingly diversified beyond traditional sectors like banks and commodities, with significant representation from tech, consumer, and medical sectors [3] Group 4: Economic Outlook - The Federal Reserve's potential decision not to lower interest rates in December has created uncertainty, leading to modest profit-taking in select asset classes [4] - A trade truce between China and the US has contributed to a perceived easing of tariff frictions, benefiting risk assets [5][6]

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Core Insights - Newmark Group, Inc. has arranged a $600 million loan package for West Shore, which includes refinancing over $250 million in existing debt and acquiring three multifamily assets totaling 1,496 units across multiple states [1][2][5] Financing Details - The loan package consists of a $550 million senior mortgage and a $50 million mezzanine loan, making it the third-largest multifamily transaction in the U.S. in 2025 [2] - The transaction closed within 60 days, showcasing efficient execution by Newmark's team [2] Company Growth - This transaction marks West Shore's second SASB transaction in the past year, indicating its growth as a significant multifamily owner in the Sunbelt region [3] - Under President Lee Rosenthal, West Shore has expanded to over 18,500 units across nine states [3] Market Context - The financing reflects strong demand for well-leased, institutionally managed multifamily properties, particularly in high-growth markets [5] - U.S. multifamily investment volume reached $41 billion in Q2 2025, a 15% increase quarter-over-quarter, driven by improved lending conditions and institutional capital flows [6]

Core Insights - Transformation is essential for survival in the banking sector, with both Goldman Sachs and Citigroup reinventing themselves to adapt to new regulations, technology, and client expectations [1][2]. Goldman Sachs (GS) - Goldman Sachs is focusing on its strengths in investment banking, trading, and asset and wealth management, while exiting non-core consumer banking [3][4]. - The company has seen a 19% year-over-year increase in investment banking revenues for the first nine months of 2025, driven by a rebound in global M&A activity [5]. - Goldman is expanding its asset management unit's private credit portfolio to $300 billion by 2029 and expects high-single-digit annual growth in private banking and lending revenues [7]. - Recent acquisitions, such as Industry Ventures, and partnerships with T. Rowe Price are aimed at enhancing its position in the innovation economy and private markets [6]. Citigroup (C) - Citigroup is undergoing a comprehensive transformation under CEO Jane Fraser, focusing on streamlining operations and exiting non-core markets [8][9]. - The bank has announced plans to sell a 25% stake in Banamex and is winding down its Korean consumer banking operations, which will free up capital for investments in wealth management [9][11]. - Citigroup expects total revenues to exceed $84 billion in 2025, with a projected CAGR of 4-5% through 2026 [11]. - The company has launched an $80 billion customized portfolio offering with BlackRock and partnered with Carlyle Group to expand asset-based private credit [12]. Performance and Valuation Comparison - Over the past year, shares of Goldman Sachs and Citigroup rose 54.3% and 59.2%, respectively, outperforming the industry growth of 42.6% [13]. - Goldman is trading at a forward P/E of 14.6X, while Citigroup trades at a lower P/E of 10.4X, indicating better value for Citigroup [17][20]. - Citigroup has a higher dividend yield of 2.42% compared to Goldman's 2.04%, providing additional appeal to investors [20]. - Both companies are expected to see revenue growth, with Goldman projected to have a 10% increase in 2025 and Citigroup a 6% increase [23][26]. Long-term Outlook - Citigroup's transformation strategy appears to offer greater long-term potential due to its structural changes and focus on high-return, fee-based businesses [28][30]. - Goldman's growth remains closely tied to market cycles, which may expose it to macroeconomic volatility [28].