Chapter 1216: The God of Stocks in the Economic Pearl Harbor
As night fell, the setting sun shrouded every street in Manhattan, Andy saw through the car window the silhouette of the tall buildings in the sun, the motorcade slowly crossed the center of Manhattan, Times Square, neon flashing, the cars flowed like a tide, full of life, and Wall Street was still immersed in the pain of violent turmoil.
In a three-star Michelin restaurant, Andy smiled and hugged Ivana, who was wearing a bright silver fabric slip dress, showing off her proud career line, and kissed Ivana, who was about to sit opposite Andy, was pulled.
"Sit with me, that Warren guy will come over in a while, I'm sorry, I've already rejected him, I just didn't expect him... ”
"Andy, talking about people behind your back, it's not a gentleman's doing... With a smile on his face, Warren with black-rimmed glasses appeared at the table, interrupting Andy's complaints, with a kind smile on his face and Ivana greeting him.
"Ivana, you're getting more and more charming, and by the way, congratulations. ”
"Thank you, Mr. Buffett, and you may be seated. With a charming sweet smile on her face, Ivana stretched out her hand and said elegantly.
Andy didn't feel embarrassed at all, but gave Warren a blank look, and said angrily: "You disturbed our two-person world." ”
"Well, Ivana, I'm sorry, I hope you understand, extraordinary times. Buffett said to Ivana apologetically.
Ivana smiled sweetly and shook her head and said, "It's nothing, Mr. Buffett, I can understand, I'm glad to invite you to dinner." ”
"Hehe, thank you, what an elegant and charming girl!" Buffett said with a happy smile, of course, he was not angry because of Andy's performance, he and Andy were a little forgetful of each other, and the joke was not once or twice.
The three of them ordered and chatted, but the scene of Andy Smith and Warren Buffett sitting together for dinner still made many customers in the restaurant curious, and from time to time someone would cast an inquiring and surprised look.
After all, at this time, the financial turmoil has converged into a financial tsunami that has swept Wall Street and even the world, and the shadow of panic has shrouded the world, and Andy and Warren undoubtedly have a huge influence on the American people.
"Andy, this is the most panicked moment I've ever seen on Wall Street. Warren took a sip of the pre-dinner liqueur, his face was solemn, his eyes were deep, and his voice was a little low.
No one will doubt that this may be the most panicked moment in Wall Street history. Neither Andy nor Ivana, nor even the whole American public will doubt this.
Andy nodded slightly, and said with an indifferent expression: "This is a bloodless war, and it is also a great international change that has bankrupted countless people and even displaced them! For us, an unprecedented game has also begun." For example, the intrigue between giant enterprises, falling into the ground... ”
Speaking of this, thinking of the bankrupt Lehman, he couldn't help but shake his head and smile: "Hehe, it's tragic, helpless, and exciting at the same time." The lie is bankrupt, and the package ticket is no more!"
Warren Buffett smiled faintly and did not comment on this, he knew what Andy was feeling, but he had seen a lot of this kind of thing, besides, he would not be confused by the bastard boy in front of him with a compassionate face, this bastard in front of him was more ruthless and greedy than anyone else.
"Andy, I'm not going around in circles with you, let's be straight, are you interested in the AIG Group, would you be willing to do it if there was a chance for you to annex it?" Warren lowered his voice, leaned forward, and stared at Andy with a sharp gaze.
Ivana, who had been listening with a smile next to her, shrank her pupils slightly, and the hand holding the wine glass trembled very unnaturally.
"Oh?" Andy's eyes couldn't help but squint slightly, his brain was running rapidly, and he looked at Buffett and asked, "Did Wellenstead contact you again?"
Warren's eyes flashed, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart at the sharp reaction of the young man in front of him, nodded slightly, and said in a low voice: "Before leaving work, he called and asked me if I wanted to "end it in one pot"? He was referring to all the property and casualty insurance departments under AIG, and he offered $25 billion!"
Andy's eyes couldn't help narrowing, his eyes flashed, he didn't speak, he took a sip of sweet wine from his wine glass, put down the wine glass, and said, "Why?"
Warren Buffett naturally understood what Andy meant by this, and said without the slightest concealment: "This deal is too big, and if it participates, Berkshire will borrow a large amount of money, which may jeopardize its valuable AAA credit rating... ”
When Andy heard this, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl slightly, revealing a very obvious sneer, his arms were flat on the dining table, and he looked at Buffett with sharp eyes and said lightly: "As far as I know, AIG's financial predicament is too serious and complicated, not to mention that I can't take out $25 billion, even if I can take it out to buy AIG, I will completely pull its financial hole into hell!"
"Andy, don't get me wrong, listen to me, I mean, let's buy AIG together!" Warren Buffett's face changed slightly, his brows furrowed slightly, and his expression was slightly nervous.
“。。。 Andy looked at Warren's expression, couldn't help but look at him, and then asked curiously, "Warren, why are you so nervous?"
Warren Buffett, who has always been eloquent, suddenly became silent, and only said in a deep voice after a moment: "Seriously, before Lehman went bankrupt, I wasn't that worried, and I was at the Happy HolloClub in Omaha last night to have dinner with Brin and his wife, one of the founders of Google." But when Lehman unexpectedly went bankrupt, and then AIG revealed a $60 billion in funds, or more! Andy, I was really scared that the entire financial system could collapse, and it made me shudder.
Shares of MG Stanley and Goldman Sachs are both falling uncontrollably because of fears that they will be the next batch of companies to fail. The commercial paper market, which helps businesses across the country finance their day-to-day operations, has come to a standstill... “
Speaking of this, Buffett picked up the red wine glass, drank the red wine in the glass in one gulp, looked at Andy with gloomy eyes, and continued: "Do you know what it means?"
Andy didn't answer, just looked at Warren with an indifferent expression, waiting for his next step.
"If the commercial paper market freezes completely, more major financial institutions, and even thousands of brands like General Electric, will fail because their checks won't be cleared.
If that happens, there will be panic among US money market funds with about $3.5 trillion in assets, some of which hold commercial paper. The resulting chaos could bring global financial markets to the ground, endangering Berkshire and sending everyone to hell!"
Buffett shook his head and sighed with an extremely bitter expression, "I feel like this is a scene I have never seen before, the American public and Congress have not fully understood the seriousness of the problem, I think, we are really in front of an abyss!"
Ivana, who had been listening quietly on the side, couldn't help but change her face slightly, becoming a little pale, and looked at Andy worriedly, Andy gently patted Ivana's little hand, and then looked at Buffett, who was full of pessimism, and said: "When God will not come to save, the U.S. government will intervene!" Perhaps, at this moment, Paulson and Geithner are already formulating a plan of action, and I believe that the two of them know best what kind of disaster will happen once AIG collapses, rising borrowing costs, shrinking family wealth, Economic activity has shrunk further, causing the deadliest damage to already fragile financial markets and economies. Do you think they dare to treat AIG the same way they did Lehman?"
In fact, the U.S. government has not stopped bailing out financial institutions, except for Lehman Brothers. Paulson has been in contact with Geithner about saving AIG. Realizing the seriousness of AIG's problems, Paulson met with Flying Shoes and told him that he might have to get the Fed to come to the rescue of AIG, and hoped for his support. After weighing it, Xiaofei Shoes said that he would do what he had to do.
Paulson has even found a new CEO for AIG...