Core Insights - Gold is experiencing its largest weekly gain in five years, with prices reaching an all-time high near $4,380 an ounce, marking an increase of approximately 8% this week, the highest since March 2020 [1] - Silver has also reached new highs, with prices hitting nearly $54.50 an ounce, reflecting an increase of over 85% this year [3] Group 1: Market Drivers - Concerns over credit quality in the US and renewed trade tensions with China are driving investors towards precious metals as safe-haven assets [2] - Geopolitical risks, rising public debt, and threats to the Federal Reserve's independence are contributing to the increased demand for gold and silver [2] Group 2: Price Movements and Trends - Gold has surged more than 60% this year, supported by central bank purchases and inflows into exchange-traded funds, with traders anticipating at least one significant US rate cut by year-end [3] - The London silver market has tightened significantly, leading to a price increase above New York silver futures, with borrowing costs for silver sitting around 20% [4] Group 3: Supply and Demand Dynamics - Over the past week, over 15 million ounces of silver have been withdrawn from Comex warehouses in New York, with much of it likely heading to London to alleviate tightness in the market [5] - A notable outflow of 10 million ounces from silver-backed exchange-traded funds occurred on Thursday, contributing to the ongoing supply dynamics [5]

Core Viewpoint - China Evergrande Group has been delisted from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, marking a significant decline from its previous status as a leading developer in China, now recognized as the world's most indebted developer with over $300 billion in debt [1][3][22] Company Summary - Evergrande's market capitalization peaked at $51 billion in 2017 but has since plummeted to approximately $280 million following a liquidation order [2] - The company was once the largest developer in China by sales but is now facing a prolonged crisis that has affected the broader economy [3][5] - Evergrande has delivered 1.2 million homes in the last four years, with over 95% of sold units completed, but still has numerous unfinished projects and a significant number of homebuyers awaiting their homes [21] Industry Summary - China's housing market has been in a downturn for four years, with new home prices falling 3.2% year-on-year in June and 2.8% in July, alongside a decline in real estate-related investments [4][6] - The property bubble peaked in 2021, with sales volumes of new residential properties halving over four years, and prices dropping significantly in both smaller cities and major urban areas [6] - The ongoing housing market correction is expected to continue impacting China's GDP, with forecasts indicating a reduction in the drag from 2.5 percentage points in 2022 to 1.5 percentage points in 2025, and further down to 0.3 percentage points by 2027 [7] - Recent government measures aim to stimulate home demand, including easing purchase restrictions and lowering mortgage rates, which has led to a rally in shares of Chinese developers [9][10] - The consolidation of the industry is anticipated, with state-owned developers likely to take over distressed assets and complete unfinished projects, as private developers face significant restructuring challenges [14][16][18]