Mediterranean hegemon

The expressions of everyone in the audience changed: Now the total market value of the entire U.S. stock market has exceeded 70 billion US dollars, another 90 billion? Who can catch it? Who can pick it up? Not to mention that 90 billion won't be enough, even another 9 billion will be enough. Of course, the president is just making an analogy. It is impossible for all Italian heavy industries to be listed in the United States, but this analogy is too scary, because the heavy industry in the United States is 5-6 times that of Italy. If 90 billion cannot be taken, what about 5 or 6 90 billion? manage? Italian heavy industry can be listed in Italy, the United Kingdom or the United States. If American heavy industry wants to be listed, where else can it go if it is not in the United States? If heavy industry cannot handle it, what should we do if we double the amount of light industry?

Crazy!

"Don't think I'm being alarmist. Not long ago, several investment banks issued 100 million US dollars of bonds for a Brazilian state government. I bet that 99.9% of the American people have never heard of the name of this state, and 95% of Americans have not heard of it. Knowing where Rio de Janeiro is, I asked someone to investigate the state's financial situation. There have been 73 years since the founding of the state, of which 72 were years of state financial losses, and 68 years when the deficit exceeded 10% of the current year's fiscal revenue. There have been a total of 47 debt defaults and 36 debt restructurings... Even such a notoriously bad system is still packaged by our investment banking industry as a country with great prospects, good development, and prudent financial records... The reason why this bubble has not burst is because everyone believes that someone will come to take over their plate. The United States is so big, there is always a shortage of takers. Everyone does not believe that they are the last one, and they think that they will definitely be able to sit back before the dance stops. Position, but I have to say one thing, if the situation suddenly reverses and no one wants these stocks, then the market will have only one result..." Contini grabbed his cup and smashed it to the ground, causing it to break into pieces. The voice spoke clear and earth-shattering words, "As destroyed as this cup!"

After saying this word, everyone was stunned. The scene was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. It was not until Contini bowed slightly and walked to the audience that everyone started to applaud as if they had just woken up from a dream. There were still 24 minutes before the stock market closed. Many people were thinking about what Contini had just said. Only a few particularly smart guys ran out at a speed of 100 meters, frantically looking for a phone to call their agent: "Give me my money." Sell ​​the stock...price? No matter the price, just the market price!”

Many reporters also rushed out to publish the article. There was no need to choose "Destruction!" as the title of the article. 》

Just as the host was about to comment on Contini's speech and ask a few questions, a voice came from outside: "President Hoover called from the White House and asked President Ciano to take the call anyway."

Contini was stunned. Hoover had called here? What is this for?

Everyone else is also thinking about this sentence. Is there anything important that the president needs to see him for now? Taking a closer look, it seems that there are a few people missing around me. Where have these people gone?

Contini smiled at everyone: "Please stay with me, I'll answer the phone."

The host simply stopped and said to the audience: "We will wait for the president to come back before continuing to talk about the topic. You may also want to guess what the president wants to talk to the president about? I found that the president and the president agree on many points of view. However, because of his special status, the President cannot express his opinions as bluntly as the president. He must take into account the majority of people..."

Everyone agreed. Looking back carefully, Contini had warned about dangerous policies and the stock market many times, but he only said the word "destruction" today. Hoover also said on different occasions that he should "pay attention to guarding against risks." , but how to prevent it is always unclear...

"Calais, I'm sorry to pull you out of the summit forum. I have something important to communicate with you..." Hoover's posture was very low, "I heard about Union Bank transferring its positions to Europe. Now those idiots in the Federal Reserve are clinging to their guns. As a former business person, I understand your thoughts and pain, and sympathize with you, but please can you please look at my face and withdraw some of your positions appropriately... …You know, the market is very sensitive now, and a chain crisis will form if there is any disturbance. I can’t let this prediction come true!”

Contini simply rejected Hoover's words: "Your Excellency, I'm sorry that this matter has troubled you. In fact, I don't want this to happen. This is completely normal business dealings and there is no need to do so." The city is full of storms.”

"Yes, yes, I understand, I understand... Look, could you show some gesture and transfer 300 million or 500 million funds back? First, make an explanation to the Federal Reserve, and then we will discuss it in the long term... I know you have 10 The goal is to build an Italian industrial system in 2019, but it is too risky to put all the money on Union Bank. You can get some money back first, and everyone can live with it. Then I will coordinate and let other big banks in the United States continue to lend to Union Group. , let the risk spread.”

"Since you said so, I can only do it..."

"Thank you very much, thank you very much..." Hoover said, "How about you come to Washington again tomorrow and we can sit down and have a good communication? There must be some misunderstanding here."

"Okay, okay, I'll come tomorrow..." Contini said while winking at Aquilani behind him. The latter understood and immediately said a long list of emotions in a breathless tone. He was very excited and his voice was loud. Even if Hoover didn't understand Italian, he could tell that this was not a good thing, so he asked suspiciously, "Calais, what happened again?"

"That's right, my secretary came over to report that I was not at the Union Bank in the afternoon. The bureaucrats of the Federal Reserve threatened Francisco, oh, the president of the Union Bank head office, saying that if the funds are not withdrawn, they will issue a statement accusing us. There are operational risks, so depositors should pay attention to self-protection, and the subtext is to induce runs. "

Hoover suddenly became furious: "Did they issue a statement?"

"Not yet, but the statement is said to have been drafted. What's more terrible is that this unpublished statement has been known to the outside world... 3 minutes ago, countless calls were made to United Bank to verify this matter. I'm sorry, I have to today A press conference was held to respond to outside speculation, so I can’t come to Washington tomorrow..."

"These idiots!" Hoover scolded the Federal Reserve while continuing to comfort Contini on the phone. "Then you have a reception first. It's best to tell the press what you just said. I will continue to communicate with the Federal Reserve. No more pressure, they will just make a mess!"

"Your Excellency, I assure you that United Group, as a world-famous large-scale multinational consortium, will be held accountable for this matter to the end!"

After saying this, both parties hung up the phone politely. As soon as Hoover put down the phone, he went to settle the score with Mellon. Mellon was also confused. He clearly warned the Federal Reserve to withdraw and not to get out of control. What the fuck. What went wrong?

After a series of phone calls, I finally figured out the whole story. This afternoon, a reporter went to the headquarters of United Bank to do business. He saw the heavily guarded scene with live ammunition and the actions of the Federal Reserve personnel, so he became curious to find out more. It happened that he and The members of the Federal Reserve who came to investigate were familiar with it, and they dug out the inside story in three strokes, five divisions and two divisions. What the officials had not yet published, the people below had spread it.

The reporter quickly imagined the picture: the Union Bank crisis, the armed confrontation between the two sides, the Federal Reserve insisting on auditing the accounts, and now it is suddenly rushing to withdraw its troops and must have found something wrong... Oh my God! Union Bank is doomed!

Just as Contini slowly returned to the venue, Livermore came up and whispered: "In accordance with the requirements of the cooperation plan, today United Bank reduced its holdings of US$200 million in shares, and then superimposed the devastating speech you just made, The stock market fell from an increase of 0.2% to a decrease of 0.8% at the closing stage, and the trading volume increased five times.”

"Very good, the big era has finally arrived!" Contini smiled and patted Livermore on the shoulder, "Remember what I said, you-jump-then-i-jump! It's different now, it's you- jump-then-i-don’t-jump! Hahaha!”

Livermore smiled and nodded: He tried his best to establish a short position of 300 million, and today he has made more than 3 million US dollars. If the market continues to fall, his wealth will soon be a few more zeros.

After explaining to Aquilani how to arrange the press conference, Contini, who returned to the summit forum, was warmly invited by the host to continue speaking, and asked: "If it is convenient, can you disclose the phone call the president just gave you? I want to It shouldn’t be a personal matter to be in such a hurry.”

The host also said this casually, but unexpectedly Contini was actually willing to say it.

"Okay, with pleasure." Contini took the microphone, "As we all know, due to my severe criticism of the Federal Reserve for a period of time, these bureaucrats hate me and try their best to destroy my reputation. , slandered my image, and even used various insidious tricks to interfere with and disrupt our normal operations. A few days ago, they suddenly said that they wanted to audit the accounts. Today, they threatened me again, saying that the funds of United Bank cannot be freely lent and must be retained. In the United States, if I don't follow the instructions, they will issue a warning statement because of the huge risks. In fact, the warning is false and a run will occur, but the pressure on me is real, because if I am not careful, the United Bank will go bankrupt, and then trigger a chain effect. If I involve other United Group industries, my reputation and industry will be completely ruined. This is their way of using power against me!"

The audience was in an uproar.

"Everyone understands that the United States is a free country. If a bank cannot independently decide how to operate and lend, what kind of freedom does it have? If capital cannot flow freely, how can it achieve the optimal allocation of assets and how can it perform its value discovery function? How can it obtain reasonable Profit?" Contini was extremely angry. "What the Fed is doing is trampling on the most basic market principles and value systems, and it is really undermining the cornerstone of the American liberal democratic system. I think this kind of moral and political risk is higher than those illusory operations. The risk is a hundred times worse, right?”