Buffett’s $9.7B Gamble, Patriots at $9B, and OpenAI’s $500B Valuation

Money Masters' Market Pulse Week 40

October 03, 2025

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Dear Money Master,

This week ended with record-breaking valuations, high-stakes deals, and geopolitical pushback. Warren Buffett is making headlines again with Berkshire Hathaway’s $9.7 billion cash acquisition of Occidental’s OxyChem unit, his biggest deal in years. Meanwhile, OpenAI stunned markets with a $500 billion valuation after completing a $6.6 billion share sale. Backed by heavyweights like SoftBank, Thrive Capital, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX, the deal cements OpenAI as one of the most valuable private companies on the planet.

On the geopolitical front, Taiwan rejected Washington’s request to manufacture more chips in the U.S., choosing instead to press for tariff cuts and trade relief. With 95% of America’s chips still produced in Taiwan, the island’s stance underscores its critical leverage in global tech supply chains and its willingness to resist U.S. pressure.

Back to the markets, Tesla delivered nearly 500,000 vehicles in Q3, up 7% year-over-year, beating analyst estimates but sparking a sell-off as U.S. EV tax credits expired. In sports-meets-finance, Robert Kraft agreed to sell 8% of the New England Patriots, valuing the franchise at a staggering $9 billion, a monumental return from the $172 million he paid in 1994.

And in a surprising retail twist, Jellycat, the Gen Z–favorite toymaker reported $449 million in revenue, doubling profits as the global “kidult” craze for soft toys shows no signs of slowing.🌍💼

📰 Your Daily Financial Digest - October 3rd, 2025

🌍 Economics & Finance:

  1. Taiwan Rejects U.S. Chip Production Proposal 🇹🇼
    Taipei dismissed Washington’s request to split semiconductor manufacturing 50-50, focusing instead on tariff cuts and exemptions. Taiwan still meets 95% of U.S. chip demand. Read More

  2. U.S. Private Payrolls Fall by 32,000 📉
    September saw the biggest jobs decline in 2½ years, with expectations missing by 77,000. The downturn compounds uncertainty during the shutdown data blackout. Read More

  3. Consumer Confidence Slips to 94.2 📊
    The index fell to its lowest since April, with job availability concerns weighing on sentiment for the ninth straight month. Read More

💻 Technology:

  1. OpenAI Finalizes $6.6B Share Sale at $500B Valuation 🤖
    Investors including SoftBank, Thrive Capital, and Abu Dhabi’s MGX participated in the record-setting secondary sale, cementing OpenAI’s leadership in AI. Read More

  2. Hitachi Teams with OpenAI on Global AI Infrastructure 🌐
    Shares soared as Hitachi unveiled a partnership to build AI-focused data centers worldwide, underscoring Japan’s growing role in AI tech. Read More

  3. Tesla Q3 Deliveries Rise 7% 🚗
    The EV maker delivered 497,099 vehicles, beating forecasts, though production slipped from last year. Shares dipped as a key U.S. EV tax credit expired. Read More

💹Earnings:

  1. Jellycat Revenue Surges 66% to $449M 🧸
    The Gen Z–favorite toymaker doubled profits in 2024 as the “kidult” plush craze spread across 80 countries. Its Bashful Bunny and quirky “Amuseables” drove demand. Read More

  2. Buffett’s Berkshire Buys OxyChem for $9.7B 💵
    The petrochemicals unit sale is Berkshire’s largest deal since 2022. Occidental plans to use $6.5B of proceeds to reduce debt. Read More

  3. Patriots Valued at $9B in Minority Stake Sale 🏈
    Robert Kraft agreed to sell 8% of the New England Patriots to Sixth Street Partners and billionaire Dean Metropoulos. Kraft paid just $172M for the team in 1994. Read More

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