At the beginning of October.

After more than a week, USD/JPY has fallen to around 215 points, down nearly 20% from 262 points at the beginning of the year and about 12% from 242 points in the first half of September.

The appreciation of the yen means that Lin Zhichao and his enterprises have entered the harvest season, including: Victoria Harbour Investment, Lin Zhichao Family Office, Cheung Kong Asset Group, Hutchison Whampoa, Uniqlo Enterprises, Shangri-La Hotel Group, investment projects include: stocks, real estate, foreign exchange.

Therefore, as long as the money flows into Japan and converts it into yen, it is essentially equivalent to making a profit. Because of this, a large amount of money began to flow into Japan from the moment the Plaza Accord was signed, and Japan opened its financial markets and allowed the free convertibility of the yen last year.

this day.

The groundbreaking ceremony of the Cheung Kong Group Center Building was held, inviting Hong Kong celebrities, including the heads of the News Agency, Bank of China Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong government, as well as a number of wealthy and famous families in Hong Kong.

At the scene, Cheung Kong Group generously displayed the blueprint this time, which couldn't help but attract a lot of attention, including reporters who also took pictures. The host even explained the center of the Cheung Kong Group, including a special explanation that the right angles were flattened to show the meaning of Cheung Kong Group's good neighborliness.

Of course, on the other side of the seemingly 'don't want to offend the neighbors', the building's 'eight triangular shapes', 'square base', 'base body batch chain mail', etc., all give people a feeling that this building has a special meaning.

To put it simply – don't mess with me!

Governor Youde was the first to praise: "Once completed, the beautiful and classic architectural design style will become a landmark building in Hong Kong, even among the world's famous buildings, and I believe it will have a place." I heard that the overall style of this building was designed by Mr. Lin himself? ”

The people around are curious!

Lin Zhichao responded: "Where can I design my level, but in terms of appearance, the designer listened to some of my opinions." ”

Everyone knows that Lin Zhichao is modest, even if Lin Zhichao is not a professional designer, but he also has very professional architectural knowledge, which is something that everyone knows.

At the scene, I.M. Pei was also invited to participate today, and he was concentrating on learning around the design blueprint at this time. I.M. Pei was also good at skyscrapers in his early years, but later he was more involved in the design of books and art galleries, among which the expansion of the Louvre was the pinnacle of his life's work.

Of course, the American design firm that designed the Cheung Kong Group Center is the world's top architectural design firm, and it is an authority in the field of skyscrapers.

So this time I.M. Pei was invited, willing to give face, in addition to wanting to see what the building that competed with the Bank of China Tower was like, it was more about learning and appreciating each other among the strong.

"Mr. Lin, what is the name of this tower on top?" I.M. Pei asked curiously.

Of course, Lin Zhichao can't directly say that it is called the 'Freedom Tower', otherwise he has some political tendencies, so he said: "This tower symbolizes the status of Hong Kong's free economy, I have been doing business in Hong Kong for many years, and I have been to many countries to do business, and I found that Hong Kong's free economy is the biggest condition for my achievements today." ”

This is what he has always emphasized, and Hong Kong's so-called free economic system means that the government does not intervene, capital enters and exits freely, and is freely contested and regulated by the market.

Just one free access to funds will hit 99% of the world's countries and regions. In addition to this, there is also a system of free trade.

To put it simply: for example, investors think that Japanese real estate will rise, and it only takes a few hours or even less to mobilize funds from Hong Kong to Japan, which greatly accelerates efficiency; For example, new electronic products in Europe and the United States may take six months to be launched, and new products in Japan may take three months to be launched, but Hong Kong only needs about two weeks, or even a week. Products produced in the mainland are not directly shipped to the world, because it is a waste of time, on the contrary, they can be re-exported in Hong Kong first, which can increase the efficiency by half.

Lin Zhichao explained that the people representing the Hong Kong government are the happiest, and of course the people representing the mainland have no opinion, after all, they are also enjoying the convenience brought by the free economic zone.

After the groundbreaking ceremony, a simple reception was held, but the next media storm will officially compare the three buildings of the Cheung Kong Group Center, the Bank of China Building, and the HSBC Building.

In the conference room of Cheung Kong Group, the senior executives are having a meeting, and it is still Lin Zhichao who presides over the meeting.

At this time, although Cheung Kong Group has entered the second generation of management system, including Lin Ruihuan, who has also sat in the position of 'deputy managing director', Lin Zhichao is still holding the position of chairman of the board of directors after all.

Normally, Lin Zhichao generally does not interfere with the operation of Cheung Kong Group; However, when Lin Zhichao needs to arrange arrangements, everyone will follow his instructions.

This is the first meeting chaired by Lin Zhichao after the 'Plaza Agreement', and everyone's faces are very happy, the boss's decision to invest in Japan this time is really wise!

Lin Zhichao first said: "Jianning, how is the business progress in Japan, you can make a work report to everyone!"

Huo Jianning nodded immediately, and then reported: "At present, the total amount of funds injected into Japan by Cheung Kong Group is 400 million US dollars, accounting for 40% of the equity of Dongtian Development Investment, Dongtian Company's investment in Japan is commercial real estate investment, first of all, there are four 'Raffles City' plans, the first two have begun construction, the total investment of these four 'Raffles City' is as high as 2.2 billion US dollars, and of course there are other Japanese investors (accounting for about 30% of the shares). In addition to the Raffles City project, Dongtian Investment Development also invests in comprehensive commercial office buildings in Japan, which is currently seven buildings, with a cost of 1.25 billion US dollars, which is wholly owned by us Finally, we also have four commercial plots, which can build commercial complex buildings, at a cost of 350 million US dollars.

With an investment of 3.8 billion, even excluding the 660 million from Japanese investors, a full investment of $3.14 billion has been made. However, the start-up capital of Dongtian Investment and Development is only 1 billion US dollars, and the rest is obviously completed through loans.

In fact, the Japanese loans in this period are not as easy to get as in the next few years, but Lin Zhichao's relationship in the Japanese financial circles and the strength of Cheung Kong Group are the foundation for getting loans.

Of course, half of the $2.2 billion investment in Raffles City Tower 4 has not been spent, so the loan is not too exaggerated.

After hearing this, everyone's faces showed joy, and I am afraid that the investment in Japan will be very profitable.

Lin Zhichao commented: "The appreciation of the yen, our investment in Japan is equivalent to appreciation; In the next year, there is a high probability that the yen will join forces to abandon the dollar, which in turn will drive investors to abandon the dollar, and the yen will continue to appreciate; The world's capital has flowed into the Bank of Japan, so the bank will definitely lower interest rates, lend loans, and eventually the money will flow into the real estate and stock market, which is the reason why I chose to invest in Japan, I believe you understand now! ”

Everyone nodded their heads, all showing adoring eyes.

Lin Zhichao continued: "Jianning, Japan's commercial real estate investment, according to the financial arrangement, appropriate continue, as long as the Bank of Japan is willing to lend, we can continue to add, the last year is a good time." ”

Huo Jianning nodded and said, "No problem, boss!" ”

Lin Zhichao nodded with satisfaction, Huo Jianning was very relieved in terms of financial arrangements.

"Given that the Japanese business is on the right track, I intend to let Huo Jianning go to Hutchison Whampoa to serve as a director again!"

Huo Jianning said calmly: "Thank you boss for your trust!" ”

Others were surprised that Fok was promoted quickly, becoming a director of Cheung Kong in 1983 and a director of Hutchison Whampoa only two years later.

Of course, at this time, Huo Jianning also had a good performance, that is, the Japanese business was doing very well.

Everyone also has some questions, Lin Ruihuan, the general manager, is not a director of Hutchison Whampoa now. Among the directors dispatched by Cheung Kong Group to Hutchison Whampoa, they are Lin Zhichao, Mai Lisi, and Huo Jianning, as for Li Yeguang, he was invited by Hutchison Whampoa, although he is Lin Zhichao's staff officer.

However, Lin Ruihuan has no opinion, although Hutchison Whampoa has a wide range of businesses, Cheung Kong Group is much larger and has a wider distribution of business. Although he is 36 years old this year, he has never thought of a real succession, after all, he understands his father's physical condition.

However, in Lin Zhichao's eyes, otherwise Lin Ruihuan would go to Hutchison Whampoa as a director, but the time has not yet come. As long as Lin Ruihuan has a good relationship with Mai Lisi and Huo Jianning, it is not logical to control Hutchison Whampoa in the future. What's more, at this time, it was the time when Ma Shimin was favored, and Lin Zhichao didn't want him to be too restrained.

As for arranging for Huo Jianning to go in, the first is to cultivate Huo Jianning, and the second is that Huo Jianning can support overseas business.

Lin Zhichao asked, "What about the lease of the Exchange Building?" ”

Next month, the Exchange Building will also be in use, with a full 1.5 million square feet of floor space.

"The current vacancy rate of Exchange Square One is 5%, which is much better than the vacancy rate of 7% in Central. This is due to the fact that many large institutions have chosen Exchange Square, and the unique location here, the current rent of Exchange Square is 23~25 Hong Kong dollars per square foot, and the annual rent is about 450 million Hong Kong dollars."

The investment in the entire Exchange Square is 8 billion Hong Kong dollars (including interest), and now the annual rent is only 450 million Hong Kong dollars, which is obviously not much, and of course, there are 500,000 commercial buildings in the second phase of the transaction, including a 125,000-square-foot shopping center, which can be rented very high.

However, considering that at the end of the 80s, the rent of Exchange Square could reach 85 Hong Kong dollars per square foot (rising year by year), which is already a very high return.

Rents in Hong Kong have risen very sharply, and of course it is very unceremonious to fall, in short, it is 'rising and falling with the market', and the government has only a small amount of policy intervention, which does not affect the overall situation of the rise.

However, Lin Zhichao believes that it is better than 'not allowing it to fall', and it is more important for the market to adjust freely.

Lin Zhichao said: "Well, in addition to developing commercial real estate in Japan, Cheung Kong Group may also open up commercial real estate in Europe and the United States in recent years. ”

Everyone nodded, and Mai Lisi then said: "Cheung Kong Group has a low debt ratio and high annual returns, and appropriate investment in overseas real estate is conducive to the long-term development of the enterprise." ”

Over the years, Merris, an economist, has also figured out Lin Zhichao's law - that is, the real estate trough is bottoming out, and the real estate peak is tightening. Of course, this should have been done, but there are a few bosses in the world who can see the situation clearly. But Lin Zhichao, the boss, not only sees the situation clearly, but more importantly, he will not invest with high debt.

However, some time ago, Cheung Kong Group did make Mai Lisi a little worried, and invested up to 10 billion Hong Kong dollars (40% equity) in Japan; Now, his worries were gone.

After the meeting, Lin Zhichao asked Lin Ruihuan and Mai Lisi to come to his office.

He spread out a map of London, pointed to Canary Wharf and said: "This place is being planned and developed by the British government, and a private consortium will definitely be introduced to develop it in the future. And this place, I am very optimistic about building a second financial center in the United Kingdom, similar to Wall Street in the United States, and making it the Wall Street of Europe."

Mailith immediately said: "Boss, there is no public transportation here, and the investment is huge, it is too risky!" ”

Lin Zhichao nodded and said, "What you said is very reasonable, but what if Thatcher promised me that the subway and light rail would be built here?" After all, since the British government wants to develop this place, they naturally have to provide good external conditions. ”

Myris immediately said: "Even so, this project will probably cost more than $5 billion!" ”

Lin Zhichao nodded!

Lin Ruihuan said: "The investment fund in London, which has speculated in London stocks over the years, now has more than 300 million US dollars and a profit of more than 200 million US dollars, but it is far from enough. Unless, after the Japanese side makes a clear profit, it can go to gamble. The UK has a good business environment and a stable political environment."

Lin Zhichao said: "If this project is to be invested, it will be at least 5 billion US dollars, and it may take ten years before it can enter the return period, of course, 5 billion US dollars is not smashed all at once." Let's look at the situation while we get in touch, after all, it may take a year or two to talk. ”

Seeing this, Merris did not refute it again.

Of course, he has no objection to investing in the UK, after all, he is a British, and he also knows that the UK's business environment and political environment are among the top in the world.

Lin Zhichao continued: "Before that, I want the two of you to arrange an investment in 'short crude oil'!" According to the analysis of years of crude oil transportation, the United States wants to force OPEC to increase production, and Saudi Arabia also wants to take back the pricing power, and these factors will cause crude oil to plummet. A drop to a dozen dollars is also promising! ”

The two listened very carefully, and then Mailith said: "The boss wants the London investment company to short Bren crude oil?" ”

Lin Zhichao nodded and said, "I plan to take out 100 million US dollars to make the principal of this investment!" But not to press it all in now, but to let you prepare first, and when the opportunity is almost there, I will give you instructions. As for the $100 million, you can mortgage the shares of the London stock market and take out a loan to raise it! ”

"Okay"

"Understood"

This time to short oil, Cheung Kong also participated, taking out 100 million US dollars and 10 times leverage, or 50 million US dollars 20 leverage. Of course, the time of buying is the key, and Lin Zhichao plans to buy it in ten trading days from the last week of November, so as to control the risk to the greatest extent and reduce the attention.

Of course, there is also Victoria Harbour Investment, which will come up with $200 million, at least 10 times leverage.

Lin Zhichao has calculated that this wave of shorting oil can obtain more than 6 times the income in a short period of time, and he and his company can get 2 billion US dollars.

Investing in Canary Wharf in the UK may cost nearly $10 billion in the next 10 years. In the previous life, the Canadian Yorkman family went bankrupt directly because of this project, and finally did not wait for the eyes of victory.

Of course, Lin Zhichao will not be so stupid, he must first ensure that he can afford it, and secondly, he must ensure that he makes enough money in the British financial market, so that he will invest.

It is a little difficult for Cheung Kong Group to invest in this project, and the follow-up Victoria Harbour Real Estate can join in, and finally Lin Zhichao let this project become the golden rooster of Lin Zhichao's family. (End of chapter)