Chapter 368 The Peregrine Crisis

"What? Is this true?" Even though it was three o'clock in the morning and he was falling asleep, Julian Robertson jumped out of bed after hearing the content on the phone, with the level of agility and his very mismatched in age.

"Okay, okay, I see. Keep in touch and report the situation over there at any time." After receiving an affirmative answer, he hung up the phone decisively, and wanted to vent his surprise by roaring a few times, but realized that he was In the middle of the night, and it would wake up his family, he could only suppress this thought forcefully.

   It's just that he didn't feel sleepy at all at this time, so he simply put on his pajamas and walked back and forth in the room. It was really difficult to calm him down at this time. Although his movements were very slight, he still woke up the person next to him. With the help of the dim light, his wife asked in a low voice, "Darling, what's wrong with you? You're still awake so late?"

  Seeing his wife woke up, Julian felt a little guilty, sat on the side of the bed and said softly: "Everything is under control, sweetheart. I just heard the news that Chicago has decided to abandon the acquisition of Peregrine."

"Peregrine?" His wife was taken aback after hearing this, and then realized that her husband was talking about business matters, and suddenly felt disinterested. After giving him a displeased look, she turned around, "My dear, Please don't bring work into the house. Good night and please turn off the lights, thank you."

  As the wife of a hedge fund manager, she is used to her husband's upside-down life, and Julian also has a tacit understanding not to talk about his work at home, but today is too excited, which makes him a little carried away.

   Julian, who knew he was wrong, turned off the desk lamp silently, but he couldn't lie down anymore. He stared at his wife who had fallen asleep again for a while, and then walked to the study.

  In the phone call just now, Tiger Fund employees reported to him the latest news that Zurich Center Group and First Chicago Corporation of the United States will withdraw their investment in Hong Kong investment bank Peregrine.

  Investment bank Peregrine was established in Hong Kong in 1988 with a registered capital of 300 million Hong Kong dollars. The founders include Nian Botao, Du Kanghui and other investment leaders. In addition to these professionals, the list of shareholders also includes a total of 18 local celebrities and wealthy businessmen and groups such as Li Jiacheng and Rong Qikang.

This investment bank, which has brought together the top local business forces in Hong Kong from the very beginning, aimed at the increasingly developed mainland market at the beginning of its establishment. Red-chip companies are listed in Hong Kong to raise funds. In the past few years, at least 70% of the newly listed red chips were sponsored by Peregrine or the underwriter of the allotment. In the past 97 years alone, Peregrine raised at least 15 billion Hong Kong dollars for mainland red chips in Hong Kong. Nian Botao himself was called "the father of red chips" for this reason.

The British Du Kanghui who is in charge of overseas is also actively exploring new markets. Over the past few years, benefiting from the joint efforts of the two and the growing influence in the Hong Kong market, Peregrine has gradually opened stores in the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia. Peregrine's business.

By the end of 1996, Peregrine's turnover reached a record 175.5 billion Hong Kong dollars, equivalent to about 23 billion U.S. dollars. It became a member of the top investment bank club. You must know the turnover of Merrill Lynch, the leader of Wall Street at that time. It's just that number.

It’s just that this prosperity was quickly broken by the Asian currency turmoil. In the Hong Kong stock market crash that broke out in October, the “turbo” (warrants) underwritten by Peregrine suffered heavy losses, amounting to billions of Hong Kong dollars. as much. In desperation, Peregrine had to announce a large-scale layoff, cutting 10% of its employees worldwide.

Although Peregrine's turnover is close to 200 billion Hong Kong dollars, its own assets are not too large, only more than 20 billion Hong Kong dollars. High income is also high expenditure, and the profit has not increased with the increase in income. , which planted the seeds of disaster for Peregrine in resisting risks.

During the stock market crash in mid-October, not only Peregrine, but even the vast majority of his long string of celebrity shareholders saw their net worth shrink significantly. Under such circumstances, it is natural to seek their help It is unlikely, so Peregrine decided to introduce new strategic investors. This time they chose Zurich Center Group and First Chicago Group, which are affiliated to Zurich Insurance Group.

The two parties started negotiations in mid-November, and finally disclosed to the outside world that the Zurich Center Group will subscribe for US$200 million in Peregrine preferred shares, and will hold a total of 24.1% of Peregrine’s shares after the transaction is completed, while the U.S. First Chicago Group will subscribe for $25 million in preferred stock, holding 3% of the shares.

  Originally, this transaction will be approved and implemented at the Peregrine shareholders meeting on January 9, but now there are still a few days before the shareholders meeting, the two consortiums have unanimously backed out.

Originally, in Julian Robertson's plan to attack Hong Kong, Peregrine will become an important part. Even if they can successfully inject capital, Tiger Fund will still spare no effort to create their rumors in the market, but now the latest situation is , the rumor does not need to be intentional, and... it seems... maybe... it is very likely that it is no longer a rumor!

   This news naturally surprised Julian Robertson. He just sat down in the study and thought about it for a while. He first called Soros in South Korea and told him the good news.

To his surprise, Soros was not as excited as he had imagined. He just perfunctory for a long time, and then changed the subject and asked, "Hey, buddy, calm down. Let me tell you what we are doing now." The arrangement in Hong Kong, it’s the thing about shorting the Hong Kong dollar.”

"Oh, yes. God, I almost forgot, **** it." The "tiger" here slapped his forehead and replied annoyedly, "George, don't worry, everything is arranged. You know For this time, I have prepared carefully for a long time. But, George, what do you want to do in Korea?"

"What are you doing?" Soros naturally stopped hiding, and after a chuckle, he said frankly, "Of course I was invited by Mr. President to inspect South Korea's economy. God, you won't be so naive. Think I'm here to play, my friend."

Julian Robertson here shook his head slightly, and continued to ask: "George, I naturally know that you can't go to Korea for no reason. However, what I want to know is what kind of information do you want to give the market?" ?For God's sake, please don't put those official words on me."

"Can't you imagine it?" Soros curled his lips, a little disapprovingly, "Julian, I think you should have known what I would say. In fact, the moment I set foot on Korean soil, I already There's no choice, is there?"

There were several lip-smacking voices from the microphone, and Soros knew that the other party had already understood what he meant, "Frankly speaking, I am also very reluctant to choose to support the South Korean government at this time. But I have no choice. That's the only way I can get that little **** into the game. But if they climb higher, I'm sure it'll be harder to fall down, so it'll be more fun."

   "Perhaps." Julian Robertson thought over and over in his heart before sighing, "George, when are we going to do it?"

"Wait a minute." Soros here thought for a while, and decided to observe the development of the situation first, "I have also heard what you said just now. But the matter is far from the last moment, who wins Negative is not necessarily negative, you must know that there are still many variables. Now, let me ask you again, are your people really ready?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Julian Robertson's face was a little uneasy here, and his tone was a little blunt, "They have already implemented our plan through the local gangs. It will take less than two days. I think it will be related. The news will come out."

   "No one will die, right?" Soros could hear the displeasure in the other party's tone, but the matter was important, so he still had to ask again.

"Absolutely not!" Julian Robertson patted his chest and assured, "I'm not very clear about the specific situation. But we are businessmen, not professional killers. Although my people did not take action on this matter, I still invited Several virology experts participated in the whole process to ensure that these things will not cause harm to people."

"That's good!" After hearing the assurance, Soros nodded again and again, "I have to go to the next place, I don't know what these **** Koreans are thinking, letting me run around, it's really about to make me Exhausted. Just be it, keep in touch."

  After hanging up the phone, Soros smiled and walked towards his interpreter, but he kept thinking in his heart: God, Julian is so vicious, I must keep a distance from him, and I can’t get involved too much.

  What he didn't know was that the other party had already played tricks on his people, and cheated him once without saying a word. If he wanted to know, he would definitely not choose to join forces with the other party.

   And Julian Robertson, who was in a good mood here, hung up the phone and hummed a Bob Dylan song in his study, "How many roads must a man walk before he can be called a man..."

Just before the words fell, the door of the study was pushed open from the outside, and a woman with shaggy hair appeared in Julian Robertson's sight, holding a mobile phone that kept ringing, "God, you Can't you keep your job away from this family? Damn, are you really trying to drive me crazy?"

   Without waiting for Julian Robertson to react, his wife slammed the phone on him, and then slammed the door hard, making a loud bang.

  Anyone who wakes up in the middle of the night with a barrage of phone calls will be very upset, and his wife is no exception. Julian Robertson shook his head helplessly, picked up the phone in his arms, "I'm Julian Robertson, may I ask..."

   "Sir, sir, the news just now is wrong. This is the rumor that they are negotiating. The purpose is to lower the price, not really give up. I just got the latest news, and the negotiation teams of the two sides have sat together again."

   "Huh?" Julian Robertson was stunned and couldn't say a word for a long time. This feeling of great joy and great sorrow made his heart feel a little tingling.

  …

   "It's unlikely, right?" Song Ling, who was about to clink glasses with Zhong Shi while holding up his wine glass, was stunned for a moment. After looking at Zhong Shi suspiciously for a few times, he said slowly.

   Zhong Shi, who was stared at by him, was completely calm. He raised his glass and took a sip, then looked at the other party with a smile, and had no intention of explaining at all. But the more this was the case, the more Song Ling thought that the other party was not aimlessly. He put down his wine glass embarrassingly, took out the phone from his arms, and said while dialing: "Well, I'll make a call first."

As a senior manager of a Chinese-funded enterprise in Hong Kong, Song Ling still has a wide network of contacts. After making several calls one after another, he smiled and said to Zhong Shi: "Zhong Sheng, it seems that your news is wrong. Just now The people in Zurich sat down with the people in Peregrine again."

Looking around, Song Ling moved his head closer and said in a low voice: "As far as I know, people from Peregrine are still in contact with people from Huayin International. If the Swiss side disagrees, they will immediately Start the negotiation with Huayin. Don't worry, such a company won't collapse at a whim."

   Thanks to book friend Kalm for voting for monthly support! Thanks to Jiangnan Liu Feiyan for rewarding this book!

  

  

  (end of this chapter)