Ch. 1781..1790
Life at the Top Chapter 1781
The capital market was the most sensitive market to policies.
What’s more, it was the Feds’ policy and the United States capital market.
It was no exaggeration to say that whenever the Feds sneezed but no one else heard it, the capital market in the United States would have already begun to sell cold medicine.
There were no exceptions this time. Because of the global attention on the battle between JW Capital and Wall Street
capital, people were more concerned about, and sensitive to, the Feds’ policy now.
Almost at the same time as the announcement, the capital market began t o explode with a huge positive rebound.
Because of the huge short pressure exerted by JW Foundation and Harbor City capital, the entire subprime loan market
was stunned and began swarming with disaster victims.
The self-rescue behavior of Quantum Fund and Layman Investment Bank also gave the market a little confidence.
When the Feds’ announcement was issued, the entire subprime loan market immediately came to life.
The rebound sentiment and the stimulus o f the favorable policy itself had caused the subprime loan market to rebound rapidly. The points previously lost due to Jasper’s actions were quickly covered in a short period and, in some places, even exceed the initial amount.
“Mr. Laine, the current subprime loan market is at 19,800 points, which is 300 points higher than the 19,500 points when we entered the market before.”
More than ten minutes later, just as Jasper and Conrad were discussing the next deployment arrangements, Baz came in to report the situation.
Jasper glanced at the screen, pondered for a moment, and then said, “How is our current funding situation?”
“Not too good.”
Baz was obviously familiar with all the core data, and he replied simply, “Before the opening, our total capital was 229.2 billion US Dollars. Although we retreated quickly in the Dow Jones market, we still lost more than 40 billion US Dollars, 15 billion US Dollars of which are losses due t o settlement transactions from before the lockdown.
“But fortunately, due to our proper strategy and timely strategic withdrawal,
we not only did not accumulate a debt in the subprime loan market, but instead made 3.8 billion US Dollars.
“Our current capital is 195 billion US Dollars.”
With this news, both Jasper and Conrad.
breathed a sigh of relief.
“Fortunately, the loss is much smaller than we thought,” Conrad said to Jasper.
“But it’s still too little,” Jasper said
helplessly.
Conrad advised, “This is something that can’t be helped. Aren’t you causing trouble for yourself by competing with
Wall Street or even the Feds to see who has more money?”
“According to the plan we discussed, do you think the funds are enough?” Jasper
asked.
Conrad thought for a while and grinned at.
Jasper. “It’s definitely not enough, but it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Jasper guffawed and pointed his finger at Conrad. He said, “You punk, I must keep you with me forever. If I let you leave, you’ll be more terrible than any enemy I have ever encountered.”
This was not Jasper flattering Conrad.
Jasper did not need to flatter Conrad with
the relationship and status between the
two.
It was from the heart.
Until now, Jasper knew very well that it was by pure luck that he could defeat Conrad in the first place, at which point h e took advantage of Conrad
underestimating him.
Conrad faced several failures, and Conrad became scarier after each one, but by the
time Conrad finally grew to a terrifying level, he and the Montys could not challenge Jasper’s resources and connections anymore.
Hence, Conrad took refuge in Fabian.
However, when he was with Fabian,
Conrad was obviously just used as a pawn
and had no right to speak.
Otherwise, if Conrad had Fabian’s
resources, Jasper would feel as if he had
thorns under his skin.
Conrad obviously understood what Jasper
meant.
He chuckled, making no comment.
It felt as if the two of them were talking in riddles, and Baz was confused. He could understand every word, but when they were put together in a sentence, he found that he had no idea what the two were talking about.
Finally, Conrad turned his head and said t o Baz, “First, ask the entire team to close all the positions with a loss of more than 4 0%, and then collect the funds. Mr. Laine wants to do something big.”
“Close the positions that have a loss of more than 40%? If we do this, our total losses will increase by at least 30 billion USD dollars!”
Baz was taken aback and looked at Jasper subconsciously.
Jasper waved his hand and said, “Just do i t. It’s cumbersome to keep these positions even if we don’t close them. Furthermore, they will expose the movement and position of our main funds when they are liquidated.”
Baz stopped hesitating since Jasper said
that. He turned his head and went out
immediately.
As soon as Baz went out, Jasper found the
number given by Mr. Pratt of SBS Bank.
At the end of this number was a fund team under SBS Bank.
This fund team was backed by the development bank. Usually, they would not show up and there was no trace of them at all in the domestic financial market. However, if the market ever displayed abnormally large fluctuations,
this fund team and several other teams from the national banks would appear.
As long as they appeared, there would be
nothing that could not be taken care of in
the domestic financial market.
This was a team that operated as private capital but upheld the will of the country.
There was a traditional and ancient name i
n Somerland that fitted them, and it was e palace guards. The palace guards of the financial system.
This was the tacit understanding in the riddles exchanged by Jasper and Conrad just now.
Jasper asked Conrad if he had enough funds, and Conrad said it was not enough.
The capital market was all about funds and the money on hand was ammunition. I f you did not have enough money, you would not be able to play the game. You could not do anything even if the gods came and helped you.
However, after that, Conrad said that the problem was not big, which was also the case.
Jasper had never revealed to Conrad that h e still had a hidden trump card, but Conrad was mostly right about this. Hence, this was why Jasper admired Conrad and even praised him that if he was still the former’s enemy, he would constantly be lying awake at night.
Just when Jasper was about to use the
power of the SBS Bank, Henry, who had
been out to answer a call for almost half a
n hour, came back.
“Harbor City wants to have a video call with you.”
Jasper frowned slightly at what Henry said.
Conrad said immediately, “I’ll go out to take a look.”
After Conrad left, Jasper asked Henry, ”
Did your dad ask for it?” “It’s the others,” Henry stammered.
Jasper nodded and said, “I will arrange for someone to get into contact with them.” “It’s no big deal. With my dad over there, they won’t be able to do anything over the line.” After Henry comforted Jasper, he turned around and left the command room.
Life at the Top Chapter 1782
At this moment, in the Laws’ villa in Harbor City..
The small meeting room was filled with smoke.
In this small meeting room were four men with an average age of 60 years old.
However, these four men represented more than 60% of Harbor City’s economic power. It was no exaggeration to say that when they stomped their feet, all of Harbor City would shake.
Except for Half-the-Harbor Langdon and the Atticus family, all the top powers of the Harbor City economic pyramid were
here.
Zachary sat in the front seat.
He flicked the ashes from the cigar in his hand, glanced at the others, then smiled and broke the silence. He said, “Everyone, since we have decided to gamble, then we should trust Jasper without reservation.
“It’s only just started and everyone has indeed made some pocket money in the ploy against the subprime market earlier, so why do you all look so sad?”
Sitting next to Zachary, Mr. Boyle, the patriarch of the Boyles, sighed and said, ” Mr. Law, everyone can see Jasper’s ability. If there are any doubts about this, nobody would be sitting here, but the problem is that we have no idea what Jasper is thinking nor what he wants to do now.
“When Jasper says we’re entering the subprime market, we’ll enter, and now he says we’re exiting, we’re exiting. We’re like straggling and disbanded soldiers running around aimlessly. This is not right. This is not how collaborators should act.”
Zachary glanced at the expressions of other people. Although they were not speaking, they obviously agreed with Mr. Boyle’s statement.
Zachary said slowly with a slight frown, We are old now, and those engaged in financial markets require a quick response speed and an understanding of
market trends. All of you sitting here, including me, can’t keep up with the young people in these two aspects. I think that if Jasper gives his orders, we should simply execute them.
“This is not to say that we are inferior to Jasper, nor are we straggling and disbanded soldiers, but that when we cooperate, we must each be responsible for what we are good at. Mr. Boyle, in other words, if you were allowed to command our capital, do you think you would be qualified for this position?”
My Boyle’s face fell, but he did not speak.
He knew that Zachary was pissed that he
stood up among the group just now.
When he thought about the hot temper of this old guy next to him decades ago, Mr. Boyle decided to keep his head down. If he really infuriated this old guy, it would be bad if he could not conclude this matter properly.
Just when the atmosphere was gradually getting silent and awkward, the video call
with Jasper connected successfully. Jasper’s face that had caused them to exclaim that he was too young countless
times before now appeared on the screen.
“Hello, Uncle Laws and my fellow elders,” Jasper’s attitude and manners were still
impeccable. He had a smile on his face and a gentle voice, so it was difficult for
people to dislike him.
Zachary ded and said with a smile, ”
Jasper, we really shouldn’t disturb you at this critical moment.”
“Uncle Law, you are too courteous. What d o you all need to know? I am prepared to answer all your questions,” Jasper replied.
“Good.”
Zachary was very satisfied.
He knew that Jasper had understood what he had implied.
Zachary expresses his attitude in his first sentence.
Jasper should not be disturbed at this time, so he opposed this idea, but he could not hold back the others, so he could only choose to compromise.
This would be his way of mentally preparing Jasper,
“Actually, everyone is a bit worried. You
did a good job in the subprime loan
market, so why did you suddenly order us
to retreat, causing the market to rebound?
“Although we did not lose much in retreating early even a small sum of money in the process, at the end of the day, everyone’s purpose is not to make money. The market sentiment is now rising. This, coupled with the self-rescue o f Quantum Fund and the Layman
Investment Ban and the Feds’ firm guarantee to save the subprime market,
makes it difficult to execute whatever we have in mind next.”
After listening quietly, Jasper chuckled and said, “Everyone, first of all, we need t o be clear on one thing, I want to use the subprime market as a weak point to breakthrough and penetrate the United States economy.”
“But everyone knows that our enemy is
not just Quantum Fund or even Wall Street, but the Federal Reserve and the
United States government, who may join the game at any time.
“We are not capable of fighting this kind o f enemy with just brawn, so we can only outsmart them.
“At the same time, our biggest teammate i
s the United State’s capital itself.
“Capital seeks advantages and avoids disadvantages. Once the crisis in the subprime market can no longer be avoided, this capital will escape as ferociously as it had entered.
“They don’t care if their divestment will cause an avalanche of the entire market. Their survival instinct makes them only care about their own pockets. They won’t think about the consequences of a market crash caused by a large-scale divestment.
“Hence, all we need to do is to give them the most painful blow at the right time.”
After Jasper said that, Mr. Boyle frowned and said, “Everyone knows this truth, but the best opportunity to do so was before this. You finally seized a first-mover advantage that caught them off guard, but
then you took the initiative to withdraw.
What kind of painful blow is this?”
Jasper laughed and answered, “Mr. Boyle,
in truth, everyone just wants a guarantee o r perhaps want to know what my trump card is, right?”
Jasper’s words were as sharp as a knife, and it was in stark contrast to the gentle smile on his face that made him look like a gentleman.
Even someone as smart as Mr. Boyle could not hold it at this moment. He started to stammer after hearing what Jasper said.
Jasper did not embarrass Mr. Boyle for too long. He said, “I’d already planned to let everyone know about this trump card. Now that this matter has been mentioned, everyone should stay calm and watch.”
Jasper did not hang up the video call. Then, he dialed the number that he had prepared earlier in front of the Harbor
City big shots.
It connected immediately after three beeps.
Jasper put the call on speaker so that everyone could hear it. A moment later, a very capable and experienced middle aged man’s voice came from the other end of the phone.
“Mr. Laine, do you need us to join in
now?”
Jasper answered, “Yes, but to maintain smooth communication in the future, I need the person in charge of your team to communicate directly with me. Then, tell me the name of the person in charge and the power of the team.”
The person on the other end replied instantly, “I am the person in charge. My name is Reuben, Reuben Carson. Now, I a m the General Manager of SBS Bank’s wholly-owned development fund. I’ve received the order that you have full authorization over the team, Mr. Laine. Thus, the development fund will wholeheartedly cooperate with you to execute all of the missions in this operation
Life at the Top Chapter 1783
In order to carry out actions of national interest, there were several special banks i n Somerland that did not offer commercial banking services to the people.
These special banks were rarely known to ordinary people too.
However, for the rich and famous in Harbor City, the most familiar
institutions that fell under this category were National Bank and SBS Bank.
National Bank was the National Development Bank, which was mainly. responsible for the domestic loan business of Somerland to other countries and regions.
To put it bluntly, it was to increase international influence and strive for geopolitical superiority in the national financial bank. It specialized in lending money to other poorer countries.
As for national development, it would be SBS Bank.
Its business was more comprehensive and systematic, and correspondingly, its powers were also greater.
This was especially true for its power over the foreign exchange reserves, which gave it part of the functions of a central bank. Therefore, among the several special banks, SBS Bank was definitely the most superior.
Therefore, when they heard the contents of f Jasper’s call through the video call, everyone present was relieved.
Everyone knew that Jasper was backed by the mainland and Swallow Capital would never sit idly by during this situation, but there was still no clear attitude and plan, which would make anyone still feel nervous.
Now that they had a guarantee, they did
not harbor anymore doubts. “Okay, Mr. Carson, please wait for my instructions.”
After saying this, Jasper temporarily hung up the phone. Then, he said to a group of Harbor City big shots in the video, ”
Everyone, are you much more relieved now?”
Mr. Boyle laughed and said, “Jasper, it’s
not that we don’t believe you, but it’s better to be safe when it comes to such a big thing, don’t you think?”
Jasper smiled and said, “Of course. In my opinion, your concerns are completely reasonable. In fact, this is also due to my negligence. I should have personally visited Harbor City to meet you all and listen to your teachings.
“However, I have too many things to take care of, plus the enemy sitting opposite us didn’t plan to give me much time to rest, s o that’s why I didn’t handle this matter appropriately. Please forgive me, elders.”
Listen to this.
Whether someone knew how to handle
issues, knew how to speak, or was favored
by people, all came down to the details.
Jasper’s remarks made everyone present
except Zachary smile and feel comfortable.
Everything else aside, Jasper’s current.
status alone made it commendable that he
could be so humble.
Mr. Boyle smiled, turned his head, and said to Zachary, “Mr. Law, you have found a good son-in-law.”
As soon as these words came out, Zachary
glanced at Mr. Boyle and said
indifferently, “Why didn’t I know that
you’re so talkative before?”
Mr. Boyle regretted what he said immediately.
With Jasper’s status, things around him
were no longer a secret.
Everyone knew that Jasper had a partner i n the mainland. Although Jasper having multiple partners was almost an open secret in Harbor City, the openness of this discussion also depended on who they were.
If the subject was the princess of the Laws whereby her role was that of the mistress, then it would really be taboo.
“Okay, that’s all for now,”
Zachary waved his hand and said to Jasper
happily, “You have a lot of things on your
plate so get on with it Harbor City is fine
and you don’t have to worry about us. In short, the funds of Harbor City will follow your orders. There won’t be any more mistakes.”
Jasper nodded and said, “I’m sorry to
trouble you with this, Uncle Law, I’ll get o
n with my business.”
After he said that, the video was cut off.
The atmosphere in the small living room o
f the villa in Harbor City was much more
relaxed now.
However, when everyone was about to
make a few jokes to ease the atmosphere,
they saw Zachary stand up.
“Mr. Boyle, please come with me.”. Zachary smiled at Mr. Boyle, turned his
head, and walked toward the door.
Two beads of sweat appeared on Mr. Boyle’s shiny forehead. He looked at the others for help, but the others turned their heads at the same time in a tacit understanding. They were minding their business while smoking, looking at the scenery, and even spacing out.
“You old punks!”
Mr. Boyle muttered angrily, but he still had to get up and paced slowly toward the door.
Meanwhile, in Nauritus City, as soon as Jasper finished the video call, he turned to see Conrad and Jake waiting at the door.
“Come in.”
Jasper, who felt a little overwrought, sat i
n his seat. When took a sip of water from
the glass, the two who came through the
door handed a report to him.
Holding the warm papers that had just
been printed out in his hand, Jasper
frowned while drinking water.
“More than 2 billion US Dollars was
withdrawn from the subprime market just
now?”
Jasper put down the glass, looked up at Jake, and asked, “Did you identify the source of the funds?”
Jake said with a strange expression, “I did… It was Hattaway Investment and Management Group”
“Benett.”
Jasper was amused.
“It seems that my old friend is not optimistic about the subprime market in the United States either.”
Jasper continued while squinting slightly, “But Benett’s divestment at this time will attract the attention of many forces, especially Wall Street and the Feds. They may even suspect that we have reached some kind of cooperation with Benett.” “This is our chance,” Conrad said softly.
Jasper pondered for a moment and said, ” Invest 80 billion US Dollars into the United States subprime market to go short. Also, notify Harbor City to have them follow up, but the amount cannot exceed 80 billion US Dollars.”
After thinking about it, Jasper picked up
the phone and called Reuben.
“Please keep an eye on the United States subprime market immediately. I intend to draw out Layman and Quantum Fund’s main funds to hedge against them. Once the Feds join the game, please take action
immediately according to the situation
Reuben’s calm but powerful voice came from the other end of the phone, “Got it, but what if other capital on Wall Street join in the game before the Feds while you’re busy fighting against Layman and Quantum Fund?”
Jasper replied decisively, “You don’t need to do anything.”
Reuben said, “But according to our assessment, even with the Harbor City funding, you will not be able to fight Wall Street. The difference in magnitude is too large and you may not be able to hold on until the Feds show up.”
Jasper replied insipidly, “I am the commander-in-chief, and your task is to follow my orders.”
Reuben was silent for a while. Then, he said, “I understand,”
After Jasper put down the phone, he lifted his head to say to the people in the command room, “Start the operation. We will call this… Operation Slaughter Eagle. “Slaughter as in slaughterhouse, and Eagle as in bald eagle.”
Life at the Top Chapter 1784
The bald eagle was the national bird of the United States, and to a large extent, it symbolized the United States.
Therefore, Jasper named the operation this time Operation Slaughter Eagle, which showed what his goal was.
They had already entangled with Wall Street or Quantum Fund long enough, so Jasper knew very well that this time would be the final battle to determine the outcome of the war.
Within one minute after Jasper gave the order, a total of 160 billion US Dollars jointly issued by Nauritus City and Harbor City surged into the subprime market of the United States on the other side of the ocean like a flash flood.
The subprime market that was still in an
uproar and immersed in the rebound
sentiment clearly did not expect Jasper to
make a comeback so soon.
Furthermore, the strength this time was
beyond everyone’s imagination.
In the financial markets of the West,
especially the United States, the colors
representing the rise and fall were the
opposite of those in Somerland.
In Somerlannd, red meant rising and
green meant falling.
In the United States, green meant rising
and red meant falling.
When this 160 billion US Dollars rushed. into the subprime market like a beast, it was as if the entire market experienced a earthquake. The first second, it was still green throughout, but in the next second, almost all the numbers visible to the naked eye became blood red.
In addition to this, the plunge was growing bigger by the second.
The first to bear the brunt of this was
Layman Investment Bank and Quantum
Fund, who bought in heavily to boost
market confidence.
The positions of these two companies were liquidated instantly.
The most serious losses were born by: retail investors who entered the market
after seeing the market rebound with the intention to make some quick profits.
In this kind of capital confrontation, retail
investors were basically cannon fodder.
Once they went in the wrong direction,
there would be no room for struggling.
For example, at this moment, this 160 billion US Dollar short sales directly caused the entire subprime market to drop 500 points. It was not an exaggeration to call it the most terrifying stock market disaster since the opening of the subprime market.
Under such a rapid decline, countless retail investors were like ants standing on the edge of a cliff. The boulders under their feet were rolling down, and no matter how loud they wailed, they could not save themselves.
Afterward, it was estimated that in this short hedge, more than 4 million retail accounts were directly liquidated in just the first three minutes with the loss of funds exceeding 30 billion US Dollars.
“Under this level of capital hedging, any
technical skills are meaningless.”
Standing in front of the screen, Jasper stared at the blood-red numbers that were constantly changing and falling on the screen, then said softly to Conrad beside him, “The only thing that really determines the victor is the number of chips on hand. It depends on who will be the first one to finish everything they have.”
Conrad also wore a solemn expression. He nodded and said, “Indeed, there are very few things we can do now. It depends on how Layman and Quantum Fund react..
“They have no choice but to hedge.”
Jasper squinted his eyes and clenched his fists slightly. After that, he said in a deep voice, “We have forced them into the subprime market. What we want is to have the final battle with them here, otherwise, we have no chance of winning.
“We can only fight. The bigger the fight, the better. The louder the noise, the better. Only in this way can the subprime mortgage crisis be triggered in advance, collapsing the United States economy.”
As soon as Jasper said that, Conrad stared at the screen and shouted, “They reacted!”
At this moment, the data on the market was changing rapidly. The most obvious thing was that the rate of decline had begun to slow down. Under the premise that the trading volume had increased multiple times over, it could be seen that Layman and Quantum Funds had begun to invest large sums of money in an attempt t o stabilize the market.
With that, big decisive battle between bears and bulls started without any prior warning.
Life at the Top Chapter 1785
The two sides had temporarily stabilized a t the current price line. They were fighting each other but it seemed to be to no avail.
Their funds were like tap water pouring crazily after opening the faucet.
I would harvest your orders while you devoured mine.
Just as Jasper had said before, once funds of f this magnitude started a decisive battle, any so-called gaudy technical operations were meaningless. What was left was to see who had a stronger background.
“Add in 20 billion US Dollars.”
Jasper pondered for a moment and said, ” The price should be lowered a bit. The current stalemate must be broken.”
“But if we do this, our reserve funds will b e in danger and Quantum Fund and Layman will likely follow.”
Shaking his head, Jasper said, “We can’t consider too much at this moment. Now, the entire subprime market is like a panicked chicken coop. Every chicken is in a manic state so we must increase the fear in each and every one of them. Only in this way can this chicken coop be overturned. Otherwise, the more of a stalemate the situation becomes, the worse it will be for us.”
Conrad sighed and nodded, acknowledging that Jasper’s decision was the correct one.
With that, another 20 billion US Dollars entered the market.
The 20 billion US Dollars was like the last small weight on the scale that could barely maintain balance. Although it was only a small amount, the overall market trend began to tilt toward JW Foundation.
They were burning money, and what more, this was real money that was being burnt.
No, even burning real money would not match the speed at which Jasper was
spending it.
Every minute and every second, Jasper’s funds flowed out in 100 million units. In reality, 100 million in cash took several hours to completely burn out even if it was set on fire.
However, the effect of spending the money was immediate.
The messy subprime market was becoming increasingly chaotic. In this chaos, the capital’s instinct to avoid losses could make them choose to start withdrawing. Once these funds were withdrawn, then the confidence that supported the current market position would also disappear.
This was also the reason why financial
wars were the opposite of sieges.
In a real siege, the defenders naturally
had the advantage.
However, in the financial war, the defenders had to consider too many things while market confidence was the most important thing. In every financial market in the world, the biggest stakeholder was the retail investor, and they were the fundamental force that
decided the direction of the market.
However, these retail investors would not
die with large organizations.
Even if circumstances permitted, they
would follow the winner’s side to launch a
predatory charge against the other party.
For example, there were now a lot of retail investors who believed that the short position was powerful. Sooner or later, the long side would be unable to support itself, causing the market point to drop. After that, they would follow the trend and enter the short side. Once the point dropped, they would also make money.
Making money was the most important
thing in their minds.
Meanwhile, how the vast majority of retail investors predict whether the market was good or bad could be summed up in two simple words, which was market confidence.
It was also the core concept of the competition between JW Foundation with Layman and Quantum Fund this time. Whoever steered market confidence in their direction would win!
Life at the Top Chapter 1786
“Sir.”
The door of Rogers’ office was pushed open, and the manager of the team almost failed to find Rogers in the thick smoke.
After biting his tongue and approaching Rogers, the manager whispered, “JW Foundation has added another 20 billion U S Dollars. Now the confidence of the market already is shifting toward collapse * “According to our analysis, to stabilize the market, we must maintain twice the total amount of funds invested by JW Investment. However, if this continues, our funds will be exhausted.”
Rogers put down the cigarette butt in his hand, raised his blood-red eyes, and said i na hoarse voice, “Continue to withdraw the funds from the stock market and invest in the subprime market.”
The manager hesitated, then answered, ” However, the previous chairman specially ordered us to maintain the absolute capital advantage in the stock market. Also, if this is Jasper’s trap, the rise and fall of the subprime market will
immediately crash the stock market when we withdraw from the latter. At that time, our losses will also be very heavy.”
Boom!
Rogers slammed his fist onto the desk. Then, he stood up and roared, “Then what do you expect me to do, huh? Now the other party is attacking and we are defending, but those damn capitalists are fleeing wildly at this time. What are they waiting for?
“They are waiting for our death or Jasper’s death, and then they will swarm i n and grab the money together. These short-sighted capitalists don’t even know what the overall situation is!”
Capitalists…
When the manager heard the roar from Rogers’ mouth, the corners of his mouth twitched.
He did not dare to say anything at this critical moment.
He knew that if he said one more word, he would turn Rogers’ anger onto himself.
Rogers tugged at his collar and gasped..
Then, he said with a dark face, “Can you
contact Soros now?”
The manager shook his head and replied,
“No. The chairman’s phone was off this
whole time. I think he’s still in that very
important meeting.”
Rogers narrowed his eyes to stare straight at the manager. He smirked and said, ” Indeed. You went to ask him and only come to me to find a solution when you couldn’t get a hold of him, right?”
The manager’s expression changed and h e answered in a flurry, “I’m sorry, sir. I’m just doing things according to the rules.”
“Very well.”
Rogers chuckled coldly and said, “Since you can’t contact the chairman, then please execute my order. Withdraw at least 50 billion from the stock market to ensure the stability of the subprime market.
“Trust me, I have a feeling Jasper is not setting a trap this time. He seriously wants to use the subprime market to
attack the entire financial system of the
United States.”
Thinking of how much capital the United States had invested into the subprime market, including Layman, and of the huge loopholes and pressures in the subprime market that were enough to make people too scared to even breath, Rogers felt a chill run down his spine.
If Jasper really came with this purpose in mind, then an astronomical problem would arise this time.
“In short, regardless of everything, we must maintain the stability of the subprime market. Even if the chairman is here, he would support my decision.”
Rogers’ words made the manager’s scalp numb, but he still nodded and said, “I understand, sir, I’ll do it right away.”
After the manager went out, Rogers returned to face the computer. He watched the collapsing subprime market, and his anxiety could not be expressed with words.
Life at the Top Chapter 1787
At this moment, as Jasper increased his efforts in short-selling, the confidence that had just been boosted in the subprime market began to collapse. It would inevitably take a certain amount of time for Quantum Fund to withdraw funds from the stock market to save it.
What was terrible about this was that the market would not give them time at all! As he thought about this, Rogers picked u p the phone.
“I’m asking to speak with the chairman of Layman Investment Bank.”
“I’m sorry, the chairman is currently in a n emergency meeting and can’t come to the phone. Do you need me to inform him of your request after he’s done?”
As he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, Rogers gritted his teeth and hung up.
After this short call, Rogers saw that the entire market had begun to collapse like a n avalanche when he looked up at the screen again.
The speed of this collapse was almost faster than the speed of the stock market crash.
“What’s going on?”
Rogers yelled in disbelief.
Someone barged in through the door of the office and Rogers saw the manager who had just left run in again with a pale face. “Sir, the country’s largest real estate investment trust, Public Storage, announced that it will completely clean up
the company’s bad credit loans and they
will not accept any new loan applications.
“In addition to this, funds will be gradually collected for the loans that have already been issued. Then, the company will begin to clean up the inventory funds that they had invested into the subprime market.”
As soon as he said this, Rogers felt his chest getting heavier and his vision suddenly went black.
He fell back on his chair and gritted his teeth, then said helplessly, “The thing I fear the most eventually happened. The
crisis in the subprime market is too big. If there are any movements, there will be a chain reaction. If we lose this time, it’s not Jasper who defeated us, on the contrary, it’s us that defeated us!”
“Sir, what are we going to do now that we can’t get ahold of the chairman?”
The manager’s face turned pale, and he said hurriedly, “The market has already reacted to this news and we saw that there is countless capital from institutions and retail investors fleeing the market. The whole market is full of sell offers, and we simply can’t follow them all.
“Even if… Even if we do follow all of them, we’ll only be faced with liquidation at the end of the day unless we have the power t o devour tens of trillions of debt in the subprime market…”
“Tens of trillions of debt…
Rogers looked at the manager like he was a fool. Then, he roared, “Those damned businessmen and banks that are ruthless and lacking in conscience! They should have expected this when they sold a loan debt as a high-quality asset package to
the market.
“We… shouldn’t do anything.”
Roger closed his eyes slowly and said
painfully, “We can’t control the current
situation now. We can only wait for the
decision of the Feds.”
“However, don’t we still have Wall Street
and other capital as backup?” The
manager suggested.
“Other capital?”
Roger opened his eyes to look at the manager. He said challengingly, “Which one of those capital pools didn’t already invest huge amounts of funds in the subprime market? Once this market collapses, all of them will perish. So, do you think they’re still in the mood to care about this right now?
“It’s good enough that they didn’t withdraw their funds immediately to add fire to the fuel. Only the Feds have the ability and qualification to get everyone together to rescue the market-we don’t!”
Life at the Top Chapter 1788
Quantum Fund’s choice to withdraw meant that the longs in the United States subprime market had conceded in the
first phase of the decisive battle.
The battle between long and short sides started thunderously and also ended thunderously.
According to statistics procured afterward, the entire first phase of the decisive battle lasted less than 6 hours from the beginning to the end of a trading day.
However, for exactly 6 hours, the capital confrontation between the two parties had reached 100 billion US Dollars while the fluctuation of funds driven by radiation had even reached a trillion dollars in scale.
It was only a capital match between the two parties that lasted less than an hour but the wealth it evaporated was enough t o instantly develop a small African country with a population of hundreds of thousands.
The financial war was so excessive and terrifying.
It started from the JW Foundation’s choice to launch an offensive on the subprime market without warning, to the so-called cooperation from some major states, to the flash collapse of the subprime market.
Then, Quantum Fund and Layman jointly
entered the market to rescue the market,
the market rebounded, and JW
Foundation retreated.
After that, JW Foundation launched a counterattack. The largest real estate. investment trust in the United States issued a divestment announcement, the market began to experience an avalanche, and Quantum Fund fell silent in the face o f the general trend because it could not fight back.
All this happened one after another.
Finally, the market became a carnival for the short side.
At the same time, it was also a carnival for JW Foundation.
“Yes! Yes! Yes! F*cking yes!”.
Even Baz, who was usually calm and
collected, jumped on his chair the
moment the market closed and swung his
suit jacket around, screaming wildly.
It was not only him, everyone was
cheering, celebrating, and hugging. They were cheering for the victory in the first phase.
Standing behind the glass of the command room, Jasper crossed his arms i n front of his chest as he watched his team cheering under him. He smiled softly and said, “These people have been suppressed for too long.”
Jake walked next to him and his eyes were shining with the same excited glint. He said, “However, Mr. Laine, this is just a victory in the first phase. The few major investment banks including Layman, the Feds, and the United States government have not taken any action yet. When that happens, it will represent the real challenge.”
Jasper replied calmly, “Since we can’t avoid the trouble that’s soon to come, we
should let them be happy while they can.
“Tell everyone that they’ll get an
additional half-year bonus. It’s to thank
everyone for their hard work.”
Jasper’s words caused Jake to beam
immediately.
Even with Jake’s current income, he was already pretty well-off. He could buy anything as long as he wanted to, but who would not want to work under a boss who was so considerate of his subordinates ?
Moreover, his men did not have his level o f income. If they got an additional half year bonus, based on the basic income they got in JW, it would be equivalent to giving everyone half a house. He was also very willing to see this.
“I’ll thank you on everyone’s behalf then, Mr. Laine.”
Jasper waved his hand and said, “You should go and celebrate with them. It’s closing time now so you should relax a little. Eat anything you want and have all the fun you want, but you can’t drink alcohol. After all, the next opening is less
than ten hours.
“I understand. Work is important.” After Jasper left the room, Conrad and
Henry walked toward Jasper.
“We’re going to prepare the plan.”
Conrad’s words caused Jasper to nod. He answered, “You guys should make the necessary preparations. Then, bide your time and wait for my announcement. If w e make it through tomorrow, the collapse of the subprime market will speed up, which will be followed by a real financial crisis. In this kind of crisis, Layman will b e the first sacrificial offering. When that time comes, it’ll be your time to shine.”
Conrad nodded in acknowledgment. He
said, “I understand, I’ll discuss the details
with Henry.”
“Hey, how dare you call me by my first
name…”
Life at the Top Chapter 1789
The moment Henry opened his mouth,
Jasper wrapped his arm around his neck.
“Don’t be prejudiced toward him. Now, Connie’s our partner and he has more ideas than you. You should listen to him more, it’ll be good for you.”
The only people in the world who could
convince Henry aside from the Law elders
and Anna was Jasper.
So, when Jasper said that, even though Henry was a little pissed, he still nodded his head and said with a straight face, Alright, I got it. You’re so annoying.”
With a soft chuckle, Jasper turned his head to say to Conrad, “Henry is like this because he’s been spoiled since young. You have to pardon him sometimes, and if there’s anything important, you can discuss with me, don’t split hairs with him.”
Conrad answered insipidly, “I got it. I am experienced in entertaining young
masters.”
“Don’t compare me with that perverted
idiot Fabian,” Henry snapped in
annoyance.
As he watched the two leaving while snapping at each other, Jasper suddenly felt that those two were pretty compatible
in certain ways.
Even though the market had closed, Jasper’s work was not done.
There were too many things to take care o f and too many people to see.
However, after staying up for more than 3 o hours, Jasper was feeling dizzy and his world was spinning. Just as he was planning to take a break, he saw Wendy walking into the entrance of the command center with a bag in her hand.
The security level was no exaggeration in the Nauritus City Trading Center, and it was second only to important military bases. Because of the nature of its operations, there were armed police forces situated nearby to stand guard. The company had also gathered various security forces overtly or secretly which ranged from civilians to government
agencies.
It could be said that if one did not have
permission, they would not be able to
come in.
However, there were always exceptions, such as Wendy.
Inside JW, everyone knew that Wendy was
the head of financial affairs in name, but
was actually the boss.
There was no place she could not go.
Even though this was a team of traders that was completely separate from the administration and personnel of JW, they were still very respectful toward Wendy.
When they saw Wendy, they suppressed
their excitement and emotions to greet
her respectfully.
“Ms. Schuler, hello.”.
“You’re so pretty, Ms. Schuler.”
“Ms. Schuler, you’re here so late.”
Some bolder ones even yelled, “Ms. Schuler, are you here to bring Mr. Laine food that’s filled with your love?”
Wendy accepted these harmless remarks
naturally and unrestrainedly,
“Thanks, everyone. You’ve been working s o hard.
“Yes, it’s food filled with my love, but none for you. Although I did ask the canteen to add more food for you, which they’ll send over soon.”
It was understandable why Wendy was so respected in JW.
As long as it was not related to work, she would always give people an amiable feeling, like she was their big sister. The employees loved associating with a boss like her.
Besides, with Jasper seemingly unintentionally emphasizing Wendy’s status and power in the internal meetings, her status was already unshakable.
Jasper stood at the door of the command room and beamed as he watched Wendy walking over to him slowly like she was a fairy from a picture. His eyes were filled with endless gentleness.
Life at the Top Chapter 1790
“You must be exhausted.”
Wendy walked up to Jasper and asked softly.
No matter what happened, Wendy never blamed Jasper for not taking a good rest and not eating on time the same as before. On the contrary, when she arrived, she would shower him with all the tenderness she had prepared for him.
“I’m fine.”
Jasper took Wendy’s hand and led her into the office. Then, Jasper sat on the chair and turned Wendy around to let her sit on his lap while resting his chin on her shoulder.
As he inhaled the fragrance and softness o f the beautiful woman, Jasper let out a sigh of relief and said, “The result is still good.”
This close position that was so intimate that it belonged only to couples or husband and wife, reminded Wendy of being ‘bullied’ by Jasper. Even though they had been together for a very long time, Wendy, who was thin-skinned, was
still a little shy.
Breaking free of Jasper’s embrace, Wendy opened the bag she brought, then took out a very delicate lunchbox to hand over to: Jasper. She said, “I’m sure you didn’t eat anything good here, but now it’s too late t o eat high-calorie food so I made you some porridge that can replenish your body. You should eat this first and then w e will go back together and have a good rest.
“You can’t say no!”
Wendy frowned slightly and added, “The body is the capital for revolution. You’re still young, so you won’t feel anything after working so hard. However, you’ll feel forty or fifty after ten or twenty years. Other people will be strong and healthy while you’ll always be sick. If that’s the case, what will be the point of all your current undertakings?”
Kasper smiled bitterly and said, “I didn’t even utter a single word. Okay, fine, I’ll listen to you, and only you. Come, give me the porridge and I’ll eat it now.”
When Jasper was eating Wendy’s food that was filled with her love… Out there, what happened today blew up the financial circle.
Financial media from all over the world were reporting what was happening in the subprime market in the United States today.
Not only the financial media, but even major mainstream media allocated at portion of their resources and time to: report on this matter, which made it known to even more people.
Although most ordinary people did not even understand what the subprime market was, this did not prevent them from understanding the numbers announced by the host or commentator in a tone of disbelief.
“According to incomplete statistics, more than 30 thousand accounts that have liquidated their positions in the Unite States subprime market alone today, involving funds of up to 300 billion US. dollars. That is to say, without calculating the follow-up impact and actual losses,
investors in the United States subprime market have a floating loss of 300 billion U S dollars today on book value.
“The two sides of this financial war are Somerland and Wall Street capital in the United States. Why did the two giants choose to fight in the subprime market, and why is the subprime market so fragile and vulnerable that there is a trend of total collapse on the first trading day?
“Now, let’s welcome our chief commentator…”
As the news swept the world, the sentiment of the domestic people was also ignited.
Right now, Somerland was blindly worshiping foreign goods and ideas, which was reaching a critical stage. It did not matter if it was the government or civilians, they all needed a strong person o r company to stand up to boost national confidence.
At this time, JW had stood up.
It could be said that they did this at the perfect time. Under the guidance of an
invisible hand, the majority of people began to think that JW was an authentic Somerland local company who was not afraid of strong power. Moreover, it could use its own power to challenge the United States!
This discovery raised the enthusiasm of the people instantly.
Cheers for JW began to appear on the Internet. It seemed that in a short period, J W had become the benchmark of Somerland’s national modern enterprise and had become the pride of the nation.
This kind of sentiment was still fermenting, but if everything went well, soon JW’s reputation will break out and open a huge gap between themselves and the countless other private enterprises in Somerland.
It was like HW of later generations, even worse.
In the high-level office of the headquarters of SBS Bank in the country.
“Wonderful!”
Tony’s cheeks were flushed, and his
fingers were interlaced behind his head. Hi
e leaned on the office chair in a very
relaxed position and said, “Truly
marvelous.
“What do you think this kid’s brain looks
like? He can be sure about things that we
are not sure about, and he even manages t
o succeed after taking aim!”
The ordinary face of a middle-aged man
was displayed on the computer.
The middle-aged man said calmly, ” According to our analysis, Jasper’s actions this time did achieve the greatest results with the least cost. The most important. thing here is the problems with the financial system of the United States. He i s like an awl who had pierced the chink in their armor in advance, exposing the problem.
“The key is the follow-up. Even if Jasper does nothing next, the accelerated collapse of the subprime market is already. predictable. Mr. Pratt, from this point of view, a financial turmoil that will sweep the world starting from the United States i s close at hand.”
Upon hearing this, the smile on Tony’s
face froze and he gradually became
serious.
“Reuben, are you serious?”
This middle-aged man was Reuben, the leader of the palace guard under SBS Bank.
He nodded and said, “According to my judgement, this indeed the case. Plus, I believe that the relevant team at Swallow Capital has already begun to deduce possible future situations and specific countermeasures.”
Tony took a breath and said, “If this is really a financial crisis, it would be terrible.”
“It will greatly affect the current international situation, but at least for now, its influence is still limited to the economic and financial scope. However, w e still have to be prepared for the future and plan accordingly,” Reuben said softly
Tony picked up his teacup and took a sip. Then, he said, “Did Jasper ask you to take any action?”
“No, he asked me to wait. He asked me to only follow when the Feds or the United States government take action,” Reuben answered.
“Okay.”
Tony continued with a nod, “Now that you’ve handed your right of command over to Jasper, you should listen to him. However, according to your analysis, what will be the situation of the market after opening tomorrow?”
Reuben stayed silent for a while and answered, “I have no idea.”
“What do you mean?” Tony lifted his eyebrows with a flash of understanding.