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Text Chapter 386: Precarious

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    The increasingly severe financial crisis is shaking Asia, spreading to Europe and the United States, endangering the global financial market and even the world economy. Hundreds of millions of assets have been wiped out, many rich people have been reduced to abject poverty, the stock market and foreign exchange markets are in turmoil, and the economic world is falling apart

    Thailand has changed from an ambitious tiger in the past to a diseased tiger. Hundreds of billions of US dollars have been wiped out. From an international star who never borrowed money from the world's financial institutions, it has become an international beggar asking for 150 billion US dollars. The President of Malaysia has become condescending.  Gui changed his chic demeanor and cursed the financial tycoon Soros; the Philippines was deteriorating and was said to be far from the bottom; Indonesia's currency value inexplicably disappeared by one-third; the Hong Kong stock market plummeted, Taiwan's foreign exchange reserves were significantly reduced, and Myanmar was in turmoil.  The chapters are updated the fastest

    Like a virus, this turmoil violently impacted the Brazilian securities market and the Polish currency zloty, causing the U.S. market to enter a sensitive period and the London market to cough.  The chief economist of Deutsche Bank's Asia-Pacific department even predicted: "This is just the beginning. What we are seeing now is just a few small firecrackers before the fireworks are set off."

    Contrary to the praise for the Asian economy two years ago, the world is now watching the development of the situation in Southeast Asia with tension and regret: Is the East Asian miracle really gone?

    Where are the boundaries of this storm?

    When will this nightmare end?

    Will the world enter a troubled period from now on? Is it impossible for every country and region and everyone to survive?

    Today, with the globalization of financial markets, the integration of global funds, and the highly developed information technology, international capital can flow at high speeds around the world, there seems to be no "oasis of stability" in the world.

    However, the situation in neighboring countries is precarious and deteriorating.  Singapore, a small country dominated by Chinese people, is much calmer.  The Singapore dollar remains strong.  The storm has only caused a little shock to the stock market so far. However, Ruan Shaojing, president of nb Electric (Asia Pacific) Company, is still worried.

    The company's financial management is extremely strict. Businesses with less than 5 million US dollars are almost all delivered on delivery or cash on delivery. Moreover, it has been prepared in advance, so there is not much problem with accounts receivable.

    He is worried about the power plant projects signed on the eve of the financial crisis and the impact of the crisis on the entire Southeast Asian market.  According to the current economic situation, sales of Asia-Pacific companies will decline significantly in the next few years.  As a result, its ranking among all regional companies will change from first place to last place.

    "Mr. Ruan, why are you alone? Where is Mrs. Ruan?"

    In the past few years, the big boss has passed through Singapore more than once, but he has never stopped like this time. He has not even been to the headquarters of the Asia-Pacific company.

    Early this morning, we received news that three old customers had to cancel their orders due to financial problems. The total contract value was more than 3 million US dollars, and the manpower was irresistible.  Things like this will continue to happen, and Ruan Shaojing is under great pressure.  How could he be in the mood to bring his wife here? He carefully put the basket of fruits aside and showed a very forced smile.

    "Mrs. Zhang, I'm so sorry. The hometown association has activities today and she really can't get out."

    "It doesn't matter."

    Xia Yao was wearing a white cheongsam, with an emerald green jade bracelet on her wrist, and a slight blush on her cheeks. She stepped aside and said softly: "He is talking to Professor Wang from Nanyang Technological University. It will probably take a while.  "Then he took Xiao Zhanghan's hand and with a smile motioned to his son and daughter to call them uncle.

    Xiao Zhanghan looked at him curiously with a pair of bright big eyes, which reminded Ruan Shaojing of his youngest son who was born when he first joined nb electric. Time flies so fast, and in the blink of an eye, he has served nb electric for ten years.

    At that time, that small company that produced and sold switch socket panels has developed into a multinational group with assets of nearly 100 billion US dollars.  And he, the former overseas business manager, also became the president of nb Electric's regional company.

    "Hanhan, let uncle give me a hug."

    He held little Zhang Han on his lap, and while stroking the little guy's forehead, he turned around and asked with a smile: "Qingqing, are you used to living in the United States?"

    When I was transiting in Singapore before, I had lots of dealings with their family.  Especially the beautiful sister of his family is no stranger. He put down the tea he had just made and smiled excitedly: "I feel similar to Hong Kong. There is nothing I am not used to."

    "Really? My Ruan Ling also wants to go, but she just wants to go to college."

    "real?"

    "Really." The eldest daughter is the pride of Ruan Shaojing. She smiles knowingly when she mentions this. "Actually, I prefer her to go to France. After all, we are familiar with each other there and have many friends. But this is her choice. I  I can only support it. What¡¯s more important is that she has received an admission letter from Harvard.¡±

      "Mommy, Sister Ruan is so amazing, she has even been admitted to Harvard!"

    The relationship between the United States and Vietnam has been getting better and better in recent years. Ivy League schools have a tradition of recruiting the children of political figures and business celebrities from other countries. Furthermore, NB Electric has a special relationship with NB Laboratory. For the children of NB Electric executives like Ruan Shaojing, as long as their grades are not  It's basically not a problem to get into Harvard and Princeton if you're too bad.

    Despite this, Xia Yao still didn't want to miss this opportunity to inspire her daughter. She sat across from her and said with a smile, "So you have to work hard too, don't just play all day long."

    Before Zhang Qing, who had grown into a grown-up girl, could speak, Ruan Shaojing picked up the teacup and said, "Qingqing is the most sensible, and she will definitely pass the exam."

    The Zhang family will not leave much property to their children, but they will try their best to create a good growth and education environment for the children, such as taking them to participate in various charity activities from an early age, so that they can truly participate in every charity and donation.  In the process of operation, it is inevitable to interact with political figures from various countries and people from the scientific, educational and business circles. Not only can they receive the best influence, but they can also have connections that children from ordinary families cannot imagine.

    If you want to engage in scientific research and become a scientist, you can enter the best universities and learn from world-class scientists; if you want to engage in politics, you will have a lot of friends with the children of presidents, prime ministers, ministers, and even members of the royal family; if you want to do business, you can also get other things you don¡¯t want.  The help of imagination.

    Therefore, both Zhang Zhang and Xia Yao believe that if the children will still rely on the charity annuities from the two major foundations in the future, it means that their education has failed to the extreme.

    I chatted with the three of them for a while.  Ruan Shaojing couldn't help but ask: "Mrs. Zhang. Is His Royal Highness still in Singapore?"

    "Went to Indonesia. I left last night. I heard that I was going to attend the birthday party of Sultan Hamengubwono X of Yogyakarta, Java Island. After attending the party, I was going to visit the Kanomai royal family."

    Unlike the Saudi royal family, after Indonesia¡¯s independence in 1945, many royal sultans were deprived of political power. However, the government made an exception and allowed them to continue to live in their original palaces, hold the title of sultan, and have a certain influence in Indonesia.

    Change to normal times.  Mateb, the real prince with great wealth and fame, was too lazy to deal with the indigenous princes. Even if he attended the party, it would be at the level of Buckingham Palace. However, for the sake of Zhang Cheng, a close partner, he still put down his dignity and prepared for a rainy day.  Make some preparations for the possible exclusion of Chinese from Indonesia.

    Ruan Shaojing didn¡¯t know this and thought it was just a normal social interaction, so he didn¡¯t ask any more questions.  Looking back at the small reception room of the presidential suite, I saw Zhang Cheng walking out chatting and laughing with a professor in his fifties.

    "Professor Wang, you must have met Mr. Ruan. I don't think I need to introduce him."

    Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the National University of Singapore have cooperation with Hong Kong nb laboratory, nb heavy industry under nb electric.  It has a close relationship with Nanyang Technological University.  Provides more than S$8 million in funding each year, specifically for research in shipbuilding and offshore engineering.

    Professor Wang is not only the third tutor of the graduate students in the NB Laboratory Mechanical Center, but also the person in charge of the cooperation project. Ruan Shaojing did not dare to neglect, and stood up quickly and said: "Professor Wang, I didn't expect you to come earlier than me. It's hard to get Zhang Gong."  How about getting together at noon?"

    The nb laboratory is not only the pride of Hong Kong, but also the pride of Chinese scientists.

    Professor Wang held his hand tightly and smiled sideways: "Mr. Ruan, we should gather together, but we definitely don't have time today. Not only do I not have time, but neither does Mr. Zhang, because he will go to the Polytechnic University later and has another meeting in the afternoon."  Go give a lecture at a national university.¡±

    "So you're here to invite someone?"

    "Obviously, this opportunity is rare."

    Charters rarely come to Singapore, but that doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t pay attention to Singapore.  NB Labs has a lot of cooperation with Singaporean academic circles, and NB Electric also has a lot of investments in Singapore. In particular, Huaxing Electronics, a Hong Kong-listed company controlled by NB Electronics, not only built a wafer processing plant in Singapore jointly with Dongmenzi, but also set up a wafer processing plant here.  A research and development center.

    Seeing Ruan Shaojing's doubtful look, he smiled nonchalantly and said: "Mr. Ruan, if the company is not busy, I would like to ask you to accompany me. By the way, you must have been invited to the event held by several major local chambers of commerce in the evening.  "

    Wilmar International, Great Eastern Holdings, United Overseas Bank, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, Entrepreneurship Group, Hong Leong Asia, City Development Limited, Jiajie Technology heads of more than a dozen of the largest, most powerful and most influential companies in Singapore  Everyone came together to support the charter. As the president of nb Electric (Asia Pacific) Company headquartered in Singapore, Ruan Shaojing certainly could not be absent. He immediately smiled and said: "No problem, today is not very busy anyway."

    While the charter is preparing for the possible deterioration of the Indonesian political situation, the Hong Kong government is facing?The most severe test since the outbreak of the crisis.

    International speculators officially impacted the Hong Kong financial market. The Hang Seng Index fell sharply by 9% for two consecutive days, with a cumulative loss of nearly 1,200 points. It was described by market participants as a small stock market crash. Immediately afterwards, the Hang Seng Index closed at 0.00, a deep drop of more than 10 points.  %, people even think that this day's decline can be compared with "Black Monday" in 1987.

    Mr. Li holds 33.59% of the shares of Cheung Kong Holdings. The peak stock price was HK$98, and the price on that day was HK$30, a drop of as much as 69%!  The market value of the stocks held also shrank from HK$75.68 billion to HK$23.461 billion, and HK$52.22 billion was suddenly "evaporated".

    Not surprisingly, the real estate industry has been hit hard.

    Some people say that this is just a temporary phenomenon. When the real estate market becomes prosperous again, the "evaporated" wealth will come back. As long as the people are still there and the houses are still there, there is no fear that there will be no re-expansion one day.

    Some people say that this may be another turning point in the redistribution of wealth in Hong Kong.  Things are changing, and the Chinese real estate developers that have emerged since the 1980s are now on the decline.

    Compared with the real estate stocks that have plummeted.  Manufacturing stocks, led by NB Group, are much better.

    Although it is also falling.  But the drop wasn't that big.  What's more important is that NB Electric even announced that it would spend US$3 billion to buy back the stocks of NB Electric, NB Electric Complete Set and Huaxing Electronics while the overall market plummeted.  Red chips such as "Jiangnan Road and Bridge" also began to protect the market with the full support of the Chinese government.

    Although he clearly understood that it was inappropriate to come to the Yangtze River Tower at this time, Zhang Botao, the CEO of Baiqinfu, who was at a critical moment, still came. As soon as he entered the office, he said worriedly: "Mr. Li, if the Hong Kong government doesn't take action, we really can't survive."  "

    Baiqinfu Investment Group was born in September 1988 and was established on the ruins of the 1987 stock market crash.  Zhang Botao and his partner William Li, in less than 10 years since they started their own business, have developed Baiqinfu from a small company into a company with total assets of HK$24 billion and a market value of HK$12.6 billion, including financing, investment, securities, commodity futures and  It is Hong Kong's largest securities group with a variety of businesses including foreign exchange brokerage and asset management. It is also the most powerful and influential investment bank in the Asian market outside Japan, and ranks among the Fortune Global 500.

    They assisted in arranging the listing of Hujiang's window unit in Hong Kong, Hujiang Industrial, and carried out fund-raising - issuing new shares to inject capital, and introduced large-scale funds to Hujiang, which triggered the red chip craze in Hong Kong. Later, many domestic companies in Hong Kong  Exchange listings are all arranged by Baiqinfu.  He raised a large amount of funds for state-owned enterprises, and Zhang Botao was also called the "Father of Red Chips".

    He is also Mr. Li¡¯s ¡°Queen Banker¡±.  He has handled most of the spin-offs and financings of Hutchison Whampoa companies over the years. Mr. Li once said publicly, "I will support him wherever he goes."

    But now that the Clay Buddha is crossing the river, every penny must be spent wisely. How can there be any spare time to help Bai Qinfu? Mr. Li glanced at the stock market conditions on the monitor again, and while asking him to sit down, he whispered  : "Don't be impatient yet, sit down and talk."

    "Mr. Li, you know that our business in the Asia-Pacific region is mainly aimed at the Indonesian and Thai markets. The turnover in these two markets accounts for more than 50% of the group's turnover! The Thai baht has depreciated sharply, and the Indonesian rupiah has plummeted.  In addition, interest rates continue to rise, causing the bonds and stocks we invested in Thailand and Indonesia to plummet. As of yesterday's closing, we have lost hundreds of millions!"

    Looking at Mr. Li's thoughtful look, Zhang Botao continued: "These are nothing, we can handle it ourselves. The key is that we previously provided a transitional short-term loan of HK$260 million to a taxi company in Indonesia. That loan was quite  15% of our capital, but the taxi company¡¯s revenue is all in Indonesian rupiah.

    With the sharp fall in the exchange rate of the Indonesian rupiah and the implementation of foreign exchange controls by the Indonesian government, they were unable to repay the loan. Coupled with the losses in bonds and stocks, the financial situation of the entire group took a sharp turn, and there was no hope at all. This time it was really desperate.  "

    The Hong Kong government doesn¡¯t even know how to save Hong Kong companies, and it doesn¡¯t have the ability to save them. How can it possibly save their investments outside Hong Kong?  Mr. Li sighed secretly and asked again: "Bo Tao, tell me the truth, how many bad debts do you have so far?"

    It was really an unspeakable question. When he thought about the group's failure to correctly estimate the risks in emerging markets, which led to such huge losses, Zhang Botao regretted it and was silent for a while before he hesitated to say: "About 6.3 billion."  The Hong Kong dollar accounts for 36% of current assets and more than 46% of current liabilities. If Hong Kong stocks continue to fall, securities trading and derivatives will bring more losses. "

    The overexpansion of Asian bond markets has put them in financial trouble.  Mr. Li was really helpless. After thinking for a while, he solemnly asked: "What are your plans next?"

      ¡°We want to find some partners to meet our urgent needs. After all, the group still has many businesses that are profitable, and we only need a very short-term emergency fund. Like an energetic young man with a mouthful of phlegm stuck in his throat, as long as he can  Just spit it out and you won¡¯t choke.¡±

    "Is there any company or powerful bank that has any intention in this regard?"

    Zhang Botao took off his glasses, rubbed his temples and said helplessly: "The Zurich Group is interested, but seeing that our financial situation is deteriorating, it seems that we have backed down."

    Who dares to make a blind move at this time? Mr. Li sat in a daze for a while and decided to go to the window to get some air. He looked at the HSBC Building not far away, weighed it and turned around and said: "Bo Tao, what's the situation here?  I know, but I really can¡¯t help you, so I can only give you a suggestion.¡±

    "Mr. Li, please tell me."

    "You can't pin all your hopes on the Zurich Group. You must find a few more capable and interested partners. It's best to contact Li Xiaoshan. 'Jiangnan Road and Bridge' is run and listed by you. You have a good relationship, and there are Chinese investors and nb  With an electrical background, as long as you show enough sincerity, I believe they will not ignore it. "

    Jiangnan Road and Bridge is buying back on a large scale, and the Yangtze River Bridge and expressways they invested in and built in the mainland have not made any profits for a period of time. Zhang Botao didn't think Li Xiaoshan had the spare capacity, so he couldn't help but shook his head and said: "Mr. Li, Jiangnan Road and Bridge and nb Electric are both here  Protect the market, do they have the strength? "

    "Jiangnan Road and Bridge and nb Electric don't have it, which doesn't mean that Xinsheng and Diamond Capital don't have it. Believe me, you won't come back empty-handed after a trip to the International Building."

    Xinsheng Investment is indeed wealthy, but Ding Wenming is not so easy to deal with.  Zhang Botao thought for a moment and said hesitantly: "Mr. Li, I'm not worried that they won't help, but I'm worried about their conditions."

    Mr. Li walked to the computer, pointed at the constantly updated stock market conditions, and said calmly: "In the past few days, they have been scanning the stocks of HSBC and Standard Chartered. HSBC and Standard Chartered have said nothing, and they still wish they could  Eat more. Bo Tao, what time has it been? Are you still worried about this and that?"

    HSBC and Standard Chartered are the main constituent stocks of the Hang Seng Index. Xinsheng¡¯s move at this time is, in a sense, an act of protecting the market.  It is precisely because of this that Charter has stabilized the Hong Kong stock market in disguise by acquiring the stocks of HSBC and Standard Chartered.

    "Okay, I'll try."

    Before the situation was pressing, Zhang Botao really had no better choice. When he walked to the door, he couldn't help but turn around and remind him: "Mr. Li, if nothing else happens, the nb department may be the biggest winner in this crisis. They have enough cash.  , with the support of banks from Arab countries, you should be more careful.¡±

    After dealing with him for so many years, Mr. Li knew that magical young man very well, and he said with a self-deprecating smile: "Don't worry, he is not interested in us, maybe in their eyes, the fall of Yangtze River Industries is not bad enough.  "

    As early as a few years ago, people pointed out more than once that there were too many bubbles in Hong Kong's real estate and that it was endangering the entire Hong Kong economy.  Thinking that the Hong Kong government has been watching with cold eyes during this period, Zhang Botao sighed: "People have changed, times have changed. If we can get through this hurdle, we must also make some changes."

    Mr. Li nodded slightly and said calmly: "That person went to Singapore. It is said that he had a good chat with the industrial entrepreneurs in Singapore. They do have more in common than us. It's a pity that Hong Kong is not Singapore.  , His dreams are difficult to realize by Wu Jinhua alone." (To be continued, please search Piao Tian Literature, the novel will be better and updated faster!
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