Mediterranean hegemon

"Mr. Livermore, I'm sorry to be an uninvited guest. I originally planned to visit your office. Considering that our status is special to the market, I came directly to your home..." Kong Tiny smiled and said, "What do you think of the future development of the stock market?"

If this was an uninvited person, Livermore would have just asked the bodyguards to open fire if he was an ordinary bastard. But how could he dare to make a mistake when facing Contini? Didn’t you see that the people’s force put everyone around on alert? So this kind of thing can be dismissed with a laugh, but regarding the direction of the stock market, Livermore smiled slyly and did not give a direct answer: "Didn't you make a judgment on how the stock market will develop some time ago? I think your The stock market will continue to rise if we are right, provided the Fed is not so stupid!”

"I said it was going to go up, but I don't think the stock market will go up forever, especially since the Federal Reserve refuses to change its credit policy and doesn't agree with my proposal to gradually increase the margin, so..." Contini waved his hands. "I think there may be a sharp decline in the future. The momentum of this decline will be so violent that we can no longer save it, because credit can no longer provide a steady stream of ammunition. Every transaction Borrowing money will face murderous interest rates of 20%, which is unsustainable.”

Livermore was startled and said with a smile: "Are you kidding me? If your words are released, the stock market will suffer a heavy decline tomorrow."

"Are my words so effective?"

"Yes! Now you are the opinion leader of the market, and Wall Street relies on you to cheer them up." Livermore said flatteringly, "I ask my assistant every day when I get to work, did the president give a speech yesterday? He was visiting Is there any special expression in the process of each company? I usually read it word by word and carefully try to understand your profound insights..."

"What you said is a bit hypocritical, even creepy..." Contini mentioned casually, "In March, you shorted industrial stocks and made $700,000 by taking advantage of a decline; After the banks jointly supported the market, you quickly adjusted your position to oil stocks and made at least another 500,000 US dollars... These are all examples of your short-term operations, and since late April, you have continued to reduce your holdings of stocks. , at least more than 6 million has been lost, how about that, am I right?”

Now it was Livermore's turn to be restless. He wanted to know how Contini dug out this bottom? But he didn't dare to ask, because it was best not to pry into this kind of privacy. Is he the number one person in the United Group that he could offend?

"Although you don't have a clear answer to the question of how the U.S. stock market will go next, your actions tell me that you are not optimistic about the market outlook." Contini smiled, "Coincidentally, you and I hold basically similar stocks. point of view.”

Now it was Livermore's turn to be restless, wondering what Contini wanted to do.

"I have a project that I need an experienced investment expert to help me complete. I have looked at all the brokers and traders in the market and think you are the most suitable..."

"It's a great honor to receive your recognition, but the scale and size of the United Group are too great. I'm afraid that I won't be able to complete the task and have a heavy responsibility."

"I believe you can do it...this project belongs to you."

"Then let me ask you boldly, what kind of project is this?"

"Since it is predicted that the market outlook is likely to fall sharply, it is a good opportunity to take advantage of. You know, I am a businessman. The United Group has established many companies and developed various industries. I have been facing the problem of shortage of funds. I hope that I can Seize this opportunity to make some money for the company..."

Livermore took a breath: Wall Street is going to explode when this news comes out. The president who has always been a bull is actually planning to change his tune and start to be short. Not only short-selling, but also short-selling, which is no less than a 15-inch ship. Cannon shells fell directly on Manhattan.

He trembled and said, "Are you already making plans?"

"No, I haven't. I still have some stocks on hand that I haven't finished reducing. How to plan, promote and implement them requires a skilled trader. Just relying on my subordinates will only make things a mess."

"That's really... that's really..." Livermore muttered for a long time, and finally failed to describe the word "appalling".

"Let me say hello to you today and sign the commission contract by the way..." Contini took out the contract from his briefcase and handed it to the other party.

The contract has several thick pages, but there are only 5 really key clauses:

First, Livermore accepted the entrustment of United Group and provided investment services to United Group for a period of one year from the date of signing the contract;

Second, Livermore conducts professional operations under the entrustment of United Group and does not bear operating losses or share operating profits;

Third, both parties shall keep the contract contents and entrustment terms confidential for a period of 50 years;

Fourth, while serving the United Group, Livermore must go all out and cannot accept entrustments from other clients. His own stocks can be operated together and he is responsible for his own profits and losses;

Fifth, the United Group prepares necessary implementation conditions according to Livermore, including but not limited to information, funds, technology, locations, security and other cooperation.

"The team service fee is 10 million U.S. dollars per year, and you are not allowed to resign. You will make your own rules for internal allocation. If the group dismisses you in advance, the remuneration will be paid at least 2 years." Contini handed over a cashier's check of 5 million U.S. dollars. In the past, "This is a cashier's check issued by United Bank, which is unconditionally payable. It is the contract signing fee. As long as you sign it, it is yours. The consulting fee is paid quarterly."

Looking at the contract and the promissory note in his hand, Livermore was stunned: This was the largest consulting service fee he had ever received. The signature fee alone was 5 million, which was simply unbearable. Imagination, in turn, also illustrates the extent of the benefits that the president seeks?

But does he dare not to sign? Not signing means not cooperating, and if you don't cooperate and you know the president's secrets and thoughts, there is only one result: death! Because only the dead will never reveal their secrets again.

After thinking for a moment, Livermore pushed the cashier's check back to Contini, and then said: "It is an honor for me to serve the president. I can't take this money."

Contini was a little surprised: Livermore would actually reject him?

But a surprising scene soon appeared. Livermore returned the signature fee, but then picked up a pen and quickly signed his name in the signature column.

"What are you doing?"

"President, my wife is still young and my children are still young. Can you let them go in the future? I swear, I will keep it secret!" Livermore thought very bachelorly: not to do things for Contini, it is very simple and clear. What is the use of the Blackwater Security Company when someone will die on the streets the day after tomorrow? If others don’t understand, how can he still understand? If you accept an entrustment to do something, even if you succeed, you will definitely die in the end because you know too much! It's possible to die, so it's better to stay single, then there might be a chance to survive in death. To deal with people like Contini, it's not enough to be tough. You have to be soft. The lower your head, the better. Wouldn't it be better for young people to save face?

"You are acting as if we are working together to rob a bank, and then I will shoot you to death..." Contini laughed loudly, "We are a legal business, and the entrustment contract is also serious. You have a copy of the contract. It doesn’t matter if you keep a copy and give it to the people closest to you. I really don’t have such immoral thoughts as murdering people.”

Now it was Livermore's turn to be in disbelief.

Contini lowered his voice: "There are so many people under me. If they help me a little bit or know a little secret, they will be killed. Who will work for me in the future? Don't just think about the problem from your own standpoint. You have to think about me." I think you are worth the price! So, feel free to accept the signing fee, you have to find a way out for your wife and children, why don’t you leave some living expenses for them?”

"If that's the case, then I'm disrespectful." Livermore suddenly felt that what Contini said was reasonable. Of course, there is an element of opportunism in building such a big business, but if you do anything difficult, you will kill people and silence them. That must be a sign of betrayal and alienation.

When leaving Livermore's home, the two sides have better contacts and specific operations: Union Bank's Manhattan branch closest to the New York pier will open a secret room that will house Livermore's team, but there is no need to make a big deal about it yet. To move over, we have to wait for Contini's cooperation.

Before today, Contini also had other ideas: for example, he would not short the stock market and only wait for the bottom after the Great Recession. However, he took stock of the funds on hand and sighed that there was too little money.

He obtained US$1.5 billion by issuing convertible bonds, and US$3 billion by reducing stock holdings. Then he received nearly US$500 million in income from several new share issuances, and overall owned 5 billion, but this 5 billion could not be fully obtained. To use: During this period, he gradually repaid nearly 2 billion U.S. dollars in loans and interest owed to U.S. banks. Because the refinancing interest rate was very high, there is currently almost 500 million U.S. dollars in remaining loans, which is exactly the same as the balance of stocks he still holds. Basically close.

Of the remaining 3 billion U.S. dollars, 500 million has been paid out as a 4.4 billion U.S. dollar extra-large industrial order, and a portion remains as a guarantee for other outstanding bonds. Regardless of whether United Bank will withdraw the loan, the bonds must be returned and used for flexible activities. His capital is less than 2 billion. If you exclude nearly 800 million U.S. dollars in gold and nearly 200 million U.S. dollars in cash, he actually only has 1 billion U.S. dollars available, and part of this 1 billion U.S. dollars must be reserved for domestic armaments and other odds and ends. Of Luoluo's expenses, only 800 million can really be used for stock market speculation. The industrial equipment purchase contract he signed and paid a deposit for is still 3.9 billion. Even if it is sold at a discounted price in the future, it will not be enough to buy it.

In other words, Contini looks very rich on the surface, but in fact he is really short of money and cannot make money without making money.