He gestured with his hands to recoup his losses, his sly grin widening. "Once we've finished accumulating shares and covering our losses, we'll immediately publicly 'debunk' the rumors: After investigation, it's been confirmed that Mr. Kobayashi Tenmo holds no 5% of Hong Kong Hong Kong shares, nor has he applied for any board seats. These rumors are completely false! After the market panic subsides, they realize it was a false alarm, and with our buybacks providing support, guess what will happen?"
James suddenly understood, his heartbeat quickening as he muttered, "The stock price...will rebound with a vengeance! Back to 100, or even higher!"
"Excellent!" Newbijian slammed the table. "So, what did we lose? Nothing! That 2% of shares has returned after a round of transactions. Even better, in this process of selling at high prices and buying back at low prices, the huge price difference profit will fall into our pockets! Tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars, easily within our grasp!"
He paced with his hands behind his back, as if inspecting his hunting grounds.
"We can even use this 'script' over and over again! Sell stocks to cash out, spread rumors to cause a drop, buy back at a low price, and then refute the rumors to drive up the price! And so on and so forth... Wall Street calls it 'swing trading!' This capital feast unleashed by the feud between Kobayashi Tenmo and Peter Ho is our best ATM! These foolish investors in the Hong Kong stock market who believe everything they hear are the leeks under our scythe!"
After listening to this, James felt a chill mixed with admiration rising from his spine, and his eyes were full of awe and fanaticism when he looked at Newbigin.
Great! Truly great! Turn passivity into initiative, transform crisis into gold mine! All the previous anxiety was swept away, replaced by the excitement of executing the plan.
He couldn't help but applaud: "President... this plan is a stroke of genius! It's perfect! I... I'll do it right away! Execute the sell order secretly immediately!" He grabbed the phone and was about to make arrangements.
"Wait!" Newbijian stopped him, a more profound calculation on his face, "Besides, have you ever thought about it? After these few times of 'crying wolf', the market nerves will be tougher. In the future, when that kid Kobayashi Tianwang really gathers 5% and formally applies for a seat..." He paused deliberately.
"The market's reaction won't be as intense as the first time! The drop in stock prices will be greatly reduced!" James' eyes lit up.
"Exactly!" Newbigin nodded approvingly. "Coupled with my previously carefully planned plan for a 10% year-end dividend payout for Hong Kong Land...when the market sees that despite the small shareholder takeover, Hong Kong Land maintains strong profits and generous dividends, the stock price might even take advantage of this tailwind and surge! This is truly killing three birds with one stone! It not only solves the funding crisis, but also generates huge profits, and completely dispels the infamous curse of 'Xiaolin concept stocks' that soar and plummet! It will truly return the stock price to a rational, steady upward trajectory!"
At the end of his speech, Newbijian's eyes flashed with the ambition to control everything, as if he had seen the beautiful scene of the Hutchison Whampoa share price rising steadily in his hands.
James was convinced and said yes repeatedly. Without further delay, he walked out of the office with firm steps to carry out this meticulous and ruthless plan.
Newbigin was the only one left in the office. He relit his cigar, his face hidden in the smoke, leaving only the cold, confident smile at the corner of his mouth, frozen.
In the afternoon, Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
The afternoon calm is brewing a bigger storm.
Jardine Securities' trading orders trickled into the market slowly but steadily, flowing through several secretive independent trading desks. The initial sell orders were small, and amidst the still-buying frenzy, they were inconspicuous.
Yet, Jardine Matheson's powerful information network operated efficiently. From casual trader chats, financial PR communications, and phone calls from "insiders" in the financial media... an explosive "inside story" spread like wildfire: "Confirmed! Kobayashi Tenmo is on a buying spree, having already acquired 5.1% of Hong Kong Land. He'll likely submit his application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange this afternoon! Things are about to change at Jardine Matheson!"
Panic is like a spark thrown into boiling oil, exploding instantly!
The trading screen at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange suddenly changed color! The green numbers, symbolizing a decline, jumped wildly! 120…115…110…105…100! The pace was breathtaking. The hesitant retail investors panicked.
"A Zhong! Hurry! Sell all the Hutchison Whampoa shares you have! We've reached the 5% red line! If Xiao Lin stops, the sky will fall!" A fat stock investor wearing gold-rimmed glasses yelled into the phone, his fat fingers slamming the keyboard to place a sell order.
In the trading hall, the noisy voices turned into panicked roars and urgings.
"Damn it! I've really bought 5%! Run!" "Stop loss! Set at 98! No! 95! Set at a lower point! Must execute!" "It's over! My margin! Close the position!" "My pension!"
Panic spread like a plague, reaching brokerage houses and the tea restaurants where stockholders gathered throughout Hong Kong via phone lines and pagers. The frenzied buying spree turned into a stampede of desperate people fleeing. A massive, reckless sell-off surged out, like a dam of despair.
The stock price was like a kite with a broken string, instantly breaking through the 100 yuan mark, 98...95...90...85...all the way to 80! Buy orders receded like a tide, and the trading screen was almost entirely filled with green sell orders, the numbers growing larger and moving downwards, a cold and cruel sight.
Just as the share price of Hong Kong Holdings fell through 90 yuan and slid towards the edge of the abyss of 85 yuan, the atmosphere in Lin Huowang's office was solemn and undercurrents were surging.
"Boss!" Gao Qiaohao flung open the door, forgetting his manners. He held the hot telephone receiver and a freshly printed market report in his hand. "Market fluctuations! The share price of Hong Kong Land Development has plummeted! In fifteen minutes, it's dropped by over 25%! There's a flood of selling orders, it seems..."
He handed the receiver to Lin Huowang, his face pale with shock and disbelief. "It was Jardine Matheson who was selling heavily! And... there were rumors circulating in the market that we had already closed the full 5%! This plunge is a reaction!"
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