In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 676 The dust has settled, Shen Bi's tragic end!

It's gone mad; the entire stock market has been plunged into a frenzied vortex.

The surging waves were like a runaway beast, mercilessly engulfing everyone in their midst.

Whether they are profit-seekers blinded by greed or ignorant investors who simply follow the trend, they are all pushed forward by this powerful and irresistible force, like puppets on strings, completely unable to control their own destiny.

Meanwhile, in the trading halls of the four major stock exchanges, the televisions that had been quietly sitting in the corners suddenly turned on automatically, as if receiving a silent command.

The screen that appeared before everyone was a live broadcast from Hong Kong's local TV station, with the words "Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC Joint Press Conference" prominently displayed on the back.

In an instant, the previously noisy and bustling sounds within the four major exchanges seemed to be seized by an invisible hand, and fell silent for a brief moment.

However, this tranquility was like ripples created by a stone thrown into a deep pool, which were quickly swallowed up by a more frenzied wave.

Although the press conference has not yet officially begun, the remarks made by the Governor's House yesterday, coupled with the confirmation made by Mr. Brown, the tycoon of Standard Chartered Bank, have already led everyone to a conclusion about the final outcome.

And that was enough to ignite their madness.

At this moment, who has the leisure to pay attention to the long speeches at the press conference?
They were all like ants on a hot plate, anxiously busy with the transaction, thinking only: hurry up, hurry up! If they were slow, they might not even get the leftovers or a drop of soup!
The Hang Seng Index also surged along with the crowd's frenzy, as if all the losses from the past few days were about to be recovered today.

Kang Le Building, office of Galaxy Securities.

At that moment, Lin Haoran appeared in Dai Shi's office.

After seeing the surge in prices, Lin Haoran didn't seem particularly excited, as he had already been mentally prepared.

The stocks he had Galaxy Securities buy up during this period are all currently showing a downward trend, with the lowest having already doubled in value within just half an hour of trading.

For example, Swire Pacific's market capitalization has now risen from over HK$2 billion to over HK$7 billion.

Of course, everyone knows that this was not the peak of Swire Group's history.

After all, just a month ago, Swire Pacific's market capitalization was over HK$10 billion.

"It's only been half an hour and it's already risen so much. At this rate, these stocks will probably rise back to their previous levels today!" Lin Haoran said with some emotion.

"That's right, boss. Stock market investors have been holding back for a while now. They're like springs that've been compressed to their limit. Now that there's even a little bit of good news, the rebound is incredibly strong. What's more, there are probably quite a few companies themselves helping out behind the scenes."

"What company doesn't want a good market value? Without the drag from the Huifeng Bank incident, they can all return to their normal valuation trajectory, so naturally they should take advantage of this momentum to perform well!" Dai Shi, as a professional, explained in detail from the side.

Lin Haoran nodded slightly and looked at the data from Huifeng Bank.

As he predicted, Huafeng Bank's share price also rose, but it was the smallest gainer among the stocks he acquired during this period.

To date, the stock price has only doubled, and the market capitalization has reached just over HK$3 billion.

It's worth noting that Huifeng Bank's peak market capitalization once reached as high as HK$26 billion!

Unfortunately, Standard Chartered Bank is not listed in Hong Kong, but traded in London. Otherwise, it is estimated that Standard Chartered Bank would have been the one with the most crazy rise in this wave of market activity.

After all, it was going to take over Huifeng Bank!

To outsiders, this was undoubtedly a "snake swallowing an elephant" scenario.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

The person who came in was Mr. Allen, the general manager of Galaxy Securities.

"Boss, the consortiums and shareholders who lent us Huifeng Bank shares are already waiting in the conference room," Allen said with a smile.

Last night, Lin Haoran arranged for Dashan and Standard Chartered Bank to renegotiate the contract to purchase Hengsheng Bank shares at a 10% discount.

Afterwards, he instructed Galaxy Securities to contact the "creditors" who lent their shares and ask them to come to the Kang Le Building this morning to sign the termination agreement and settle the interest on the short selling.

As for the stocks borrowed from Citibank, they should be returned directly to Citibank, and Citibank can handle the matter with the creditors.

With this matter completed, the short-selling of Huifeng Bank's stock can be considered a complete end to the matter.

As for the funds, the HK$60.1 billion raised from the previous sale should be released by now!
After the funds were unfrozen, they belonged entirely to Lin Haoran, who could use them as he pleased.

Originally, when he started shorting Huafeng Bank's stock, Lin Haoran's plan was to earn over a billion Hong Kong dollars, which would have been quite satisfactory.

But the final result was that he earned a whopping HK$53 billion.

He sold HK$60.1 billion worth of shares in Huifeng Bank, but for only HK$6.53 million, he acquired 26.47% of the bank's shares, which was slightly more than the 25.6% he had borrowed.

"Alright, then arrange for someone to return all the stocks to them in full, with interest calculated as usual, not a penny less!" Lin Haoran said with a smile.

"Understood, boss. I'll take some men and resolve this matter properly right away." Allen replied respectfully and then left the office.

As for Dai Shi, he is currently focused on matters related to the stock market, and he does not need to be involved in the specific operations of these stocks.

With General Manager Allen handling things on his behalf, there won't be any problems at all.

In a conference room at Galaxy Securities, a dozen or so people were already seated.

These individuals are representatives of well-known financial institutions, fund companies, and shareholders in Hong Kong's financial sector.

At the time, Galaxy Securities borrowed a considerable number of shares from them.

During this period, the representatives of these financial institutions, fund companies, and shareholders had very mixed feelings, as if a bottle of mixed flavors had been spilled.

Because they lent all their Huifeng Bank shares to Galaxy Securities, they completely lost their room to maneuver during the period when Huifeng Bank's stock price was plummeting. They could only watch helplessly as the stock price continued to decline.

When Huifeng Bank's stock price plummeted, its market capitalization shrank to just over a billion Hong Kong dollars.

If these forces had still held onto the stocks they hadn't lent out at the time, they probably would have panicked and sold them all off long ago.

However, at this moment they also felt somewhat lucky.

At least, HSBC's share price has now begun to rebound.

Although it's impossible for them to return to their peak, they're not the ones who suffered the most losses compared to those who sold at the lowest point!
Before long, these forces left the Kang Le Building with heavy hearts.

Their securities lending relationship with Galaxy Securities has officially ended.

Of course, when they sell the shares to Standard Chartered Bank, they won't sell them at the market price; it will definitely be higher than the market price.

Otherwise, Standard Chartered Bank would not have been able to persuade so many shareholders of Huifeng Bank so easily.

However, these matters are no longer related to Lin Haoran.

As the Governor had said the day before, the press conference between Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC revealed that HSBC's senior management had reached an agreement with Standard Chartered Bank for HSBC's consortium to cooperate with Standard Chartered Bank in making HSBC a controlling subsidiary of Standard Chartered Bank.

This highly anticipated press conference was jointly hosted by Mr. Brown, the Hong Kong tycoon of Standard Chartered Bank, and Mr. John Paul, the vice chairman of the board of directors of Huifeng Bank.

Meanwhile, Sir Michael Sandberg, who once held a pivotal position at Huifeng Bank, was now far away in England and had no need to return.

At the joint press conference held by Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC, a letter of dismissal signed by HSBC shareholders officially announced the end of Sir Michael Sandberg's tenure as patriarch.

Thus, Shen Bi followed in the footsteps of Niu Bijian and became a loser in this financial game.

This professional manager, who had made numerous contributions to Huifeng Bank, thus left the stage in disappointment, leaving behind a somewhat lonely figure on the stage of Hong Kong's financial history.

Lin Haoran, upon learning of this, did not gloat.

In Lin Haoran's view, Shen Bi was truly capable.

After all, Huifeng Bank's peak was created by Sir Michael Sandberg.

Unfortunately, he ran into Lin Haoran, who had entered the financial industry, and Lin Haoran took the initiative to make a move.

Otherwise, even if Bank of East Asia gradually takes over the market, HSBC will continue to be the dominant British-owned bank in Hong Kong.

After all, under normal circumstances, British-owned companies such as Swire Group, Wheelock & Co., and CLP Power, as well as Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong Holdings under Li Ka-shing, would not transfer funds from Hua Feng Bank.

Under these circumstances, Standard Chartered Bank had no chance to so easily make its move in this financial game, let alone acquire Huifeng Bank and achieve this "snake swallowing an elephant" feat.

It can be said that when Shen Bi decided to become Lin Haoran's enemy, his current fate was sealed.

This is truly a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead.

Lin Haoran stood in front of the round window of his office on the 51st floor of the Kang Le Building, overlooking the bustling street scene of Hong Kong, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

Although the smoke of this financial war has gradually dissipated, he and Standard Chartered Bank have emerged as the ultimate victors.

Huafeng Bank, once a behemoth standing proudly at the pinnacle of Hong Kong's financial sector, was forced to fall under the control of Standard Chartered Bank.

Like a giant ship that has weathered storms and rain, though it did not sink, it is scarred and has to sail into a new channel to embark on an unknown journey.

“Niu Bijian, Shen Bi,” Lin Haoran murmured the two names.

These two names were well-known figures in Hong Kong's financial world, even in his previous life.

But now, he has defeated both of these once powerful British-owned Hong Kong tycoons.

He hadn't heard of Niu Bijian in a long time. He heard that after leaving Jardine Matheson, he went to work as a board member at a medium-sized listed company in Germany.

As for Sir Michael Sandberg, he probably won't return to Hong Kong. At most, he'll come back to deal with his assets there, and then he'll say goodbye to the city forever. The city will gradually erase all traces of him from its history. Those who once wielded immense power in Hong Kong's financial world have now vanished like shooting stars, leaving only a brief and dim shadow.

Lin Haoran sighed softly, feeling both regret for his opponent's defeat and a profound understanding of the cruelty of the financial battlefield.

In this battlefield without gunfire, the victor is king and the loser is a bandit. Every decision and every move can determine life or death.

At the same time, he gained a deeper understanding of himself once again.

I realized that I had become so capable.

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Lin Haoran's face.

Standing next to Lin Haoran, Yamada Keiko was stunned by what she saw. She felt that Haoran was exuding an indescribable charm!

……

Time flies, and August has arrived in the blink of an eye.

Hong Kong, now in August, has just experienced a Category 12 typhoon.

The typhoon ravaged the eastern bank of the Pearl River Estuary, leaving devastation in its wake.

As the direct target of the typhoon, Hong Kong also suffered heavy losses in this typhoon.

On the streets, billboards were blown about, many trees were uprooted and lay haphazardly by the roadside, and the water was ankle-deep, with vehicles struggling to drive through the water and splashing high into the air.

However, none of this stopped the stock market investors from going crazy.

In just two or three days, the market value of those companies affected by Huifeng Bank not only returned to its peak, but even continued to rise.

As the second-largest shareholder of these companies, Lin Haoran's enormous shareholding situation was not revealed; instead, he continued to conceal this special identity.

Of course, these companies whose market value has skyrocketed do not include Huifeng Bank and Hengsheng Bank.

As for Huifeng Bank, it needs no further explanation. It suffered heavy losses in market share and was forced to become a subsidiary of Standard Chartered Bank. Its former dominant position is gone forever.

Hengsheng Bank, a subsidiary of Huifeng Bank, was naturally implicated by Huifeng Bank.

Therefore, the current market value of Hengsheng Bank, like that of Huifeng Bank, has only symbolically doubled and has stopped rising.

The reason, of course, is that there's been little hype surrounding it.

Moreover, Hengsheng Bank now has very few shares remaining that have been withdrawn from the market.

After all, Huifeng Bank already holds 62.14% of Hang Seng Bank's shares, and Lin Haoran secretly acquired another 24.3% of the shares a few days ago, bringing their combined holdings to 86.44% of Hang Seng Bank's shares.

While Hengsheng Bank's stock price stopped rising, Lin Haoran secretly arranged for Galaxy Securities to acquire 7.28% of the shares.

As a result, Lin Haoran's actual shareholding in Hang Seng Bank has exceeded 30%, reaching a staggering 31.58%, making the number of Hang Seng Bank shares available on the market even smaller.

According to today's newly rich, as long as their shareholding does not reach 35%, they do not need to disclose it.

Therefore, Lin Haoran's shareholding remains a secret, unknown to anyone.

Next, if Lin Haoran can successfully acquire the 62.14% stake held by Huifeng Bank, he can then forcibly privatize Hengsheng Bank.

Although Hong Kong was in complete disarray after the typhoon, the weather had changed from torrential rain and strong winds to clear skies.

The typhoon has moved northwest and is gradually weakening, so it will no longer have much impact on Hong Kong.

Kai Tak International Airport has also returned to its former bustling state.

The roar of airplanes rose and fell, one after another, carrying passengers and goods from all over the world, once again weaving a transportation network that closely connects Hong Kong with the world.

"Haoran-kun, I'll miss you. I really hope you can come to Japan soon." At this moment, in a corner of the airport, Yamada Keiko tightly gripped the hem of her clothes, looking at Lin Haoran with reluctance, her voice choked with emotion.

Her eyes reddened, tears welled up, but she couldn't hold them back and they slid down her cheeks.

But she knew in her heart that she had to go back.

If she stayed here, she was afraid that she would unconsciously become overly dependent and cause trouble for Haoran's work.

With Haoran by her side these past few days, she felt as if she were floating on a cloud of happiness, becoming the happiest woman in the world.

But now, having to part with her beloved husband, Keiko Yamada felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart, causing her unspeakable pain.

"Silly girl, don't cry. Once I've settled everything here, I'll fly to Japan to see you right away. Be good and wait for me! And if you miss me, you can come to Hong Kong anytime." Lin Haoran gently raised his hand and tenderly wiped away the tears from the corners of Yamada Keiko's eyes, a doting smile on his lips.

His investment in Japan is no small amount; it's quite massive.

In particular, the massive funds held by his East Asia Bank, Dao Heng Bank, and Heng Sheng Bank will quietly flow to Japan, paving a sure-fire path to wealth for the impending Japanese economic bubble.

He was determined to make a big splash in this economic boom and make a fortune from the Japanese market!
In Hong Kong, as a business tycoon, he has basically completed all the necessary arrangements.

Therefore, in the next few years, the Japanese market will be his most important strategic focus, with far more investment than in the United States.

While gently comforting Yamada Keiko, Lin Haoran was rapidly calculating the details of his strategy for the Japanese market.

"Huizi, now you're my representative in Japan, so you'd better help me oversee my businesses there!" Lin Haoran joked.

In reality, there's no need for Keiko Yamada to supervise her at all; she's currently just holding a nominal position at the Japanese branch of the Landmark Group.

However, Keiko Yamada nodded emphatically and said, "Hiroshi-kun, don't worry, I will definitely take good care of your company!"

The two embraced for a while longer until the announcement came over the loudspeaker that Keiko Yamada's flight was about to board.

Lin Haoran gently patted Yamada Keiko on the back and said, "Go ahead, let me know you're safe when you get to Japan."

Keiko Yamada walked toward the security checkpoint, turning back every few steps. Lin Haoran stood there, smiling and waving at her until her figure disappeared from sight.

After leaving the airport, Lin Haoran had Li Weidong drive him directly to the headquarters of East Asia Bank.

Today is Saturday, and the stock market is closed, but major banks in Hong Kong are operating as usual.

Normally, weekends are the rest time for most banks, but recently the financial industry has been undergoing dramatic changes, and there are undercurrents in Hong Kong's financial market, so no bank dares to relax in the slightest.

As a result, competition among major banks in Hong Kong has become increasingly fierce. They work normally all day Saturday and continue to conduct business on Sunday mornings, with only Sunday afternoons being a unified day off.

The car came to a smooth stop in front of the East Asia Bank headquarters building. As soon as Lin Haoran got out of the car, he saw people coming and going in the bank lobby, a scene of bustling activity.

Although it wasn't a working day, Bank of East Asia has now become the dominant force in Hong Kong's financial industry, so its business volume is naturally very high.

In particular, many customers cannot find time to come to the bank to conduct business on weekdays and can only do so on weekends.

Now that Bank of East Asia is open on Saturdays, it provides these citizens with an excellent opportunity.

In the lobby, there was an elderly man with white hair, holding a passbook, carefully inquiring about deposit interest rates and investment plans from the staff, his eyes full of expectation for the preservation and appreciation of his assets;

Young entrepreneurs, holding documents and looking hurried, negotiated loan matters with bank managers, trying to seek more financial support for their businesses.
There were also young couples with their children, patiently waiting in line while quietly discussing how to save money for their children's future education.

Such a scene was probably only seen at Huifeng Bank.

But now, all of this belongs to the Bank of East Asia.

As for Huifeng Bank today, with a significant decrease in customers, its numerous branches have become a burden, with many branch offices seeing only a few customers visiting in a single day.

Lin Haoran quickly walked to the elevator and soon arrived at the floor where the chairman's office was located.

Through the glass window, Lin Haoran could see what was happening inside the chairman's office.

Inside the office, He Shanheng, wearing reading glasses, was intently reviewing the mountain of documents piled on his desk.

These documents cover the bank's recent business progress reports, risk assessments, and market dynamics analysis. Each one is crucial and cannot be taken lightly.

In particular, with the recent surge in the market share of Bank of East Asia, which has made it the bank with the largest market share in Hong Kong, the workload that needs to be handled has naturally increased significantly.

With the assistance of President Dashan, Chairman He Shanheng no longer needs to handle many tasks.

However, He Shanheng still had a lot of important work to do.

Hearing the knock on the door, He Shanheng looked up, taking a moment to escape his busy work. When he saw Lin Haoran, a gentle smile with a hint of surprise immediately appeared on his face.

"Haoran, you're here. I have something I want to tell you." He Shanheng smiled, took off his reading glasses, and looked at Lin Haoran with gentle eyes.

"Oh? Uncle He, just tell me what's on your mind, don't keep me in suspense." Lin Haoran replied with a smile, then walked to the desk and naturally pulled up a chair to sit down.

Although Bank of East Asia has grown significantly and become the dominant force in Hong Kong's financial industry, it has not fallen into chaos due to the rapid expansion of its market share.

He Shanheng deserves much credit for all of this.

With him in charge, East Asia Bank and Dao Heng Bank are now operating in perfect order, like a huge, precisely functioning machine, with each link working closely together in an orderly manner.

As it turns out, Lin Haoran's decision to invite He Shanheng to take the helm of East Asia Bank was absolutely brilliant!
He Shanheng picked up the water glass on his desk, took a sip to moisten his throat, and then slowly said, "Just a dozen minutes ago, Mr. Brown from Standard Chartered Bank called me and said that after a series of operations by the group, they now officially hold 51% of the shares of Huifeng Bank."

This means that Standard Chartered's acquisition of HSBC is officially complete!

(End of this chapter)