American Scandal King

Chapter 266 Going to Iraq
2003 4 Month 5 Day.

The conference room of the First Bank of the United States in San Francisco.

Ian Karl sat in the most important core position, looking at everyone with a smile: "So... is it settled?"

Everyone looked at each other and nodded at the same time: "It's settled."

After a ten-day final tug-of-war, the financial industry merger and acquisition negotiations finally came to an end under Ian's hypnosis.

The two parties reached an agreement:

The two banks merged to form First Lino Bank, with total assets valued at $630 billion, of which First Bank was valued at around $550 billion, which was $580 billion cheaper than JPMorgan Chase's $30 billion transaction.

Ian Carr invested 260.7 billion yuan, plus original Linuo shares, with a total value of 308.7 billion yuan, accounting for 49% of the shares.

Gaskell held a 5% stake by adding his original bank shares to his investment.

Ankang and Dubang Group each invested 35 billion yuan, and also held a 5% stake. The price is different for different people, after all, the help provided is different.

The former shareholders of Linuo Bank and Meiyi Bank together hold 36% of the shares.

Gaskell Bent holds shares in Ian, Ankang and Dubang on behalf of others, serves as chairman, owns 64% of the shares, and establishes a twelve-member board of directors - that is, as long as it is not a major matter that requires the approval of two-thirds of the shares, Gaskell can make all the decisions.

Bank of America was already one of the top ten banks in the United States. This merger has moved its ranking up one place. Although it is still inferior to Wells Fargo, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and others, its size is very close.

This is also a successful case of a snake swallowing an elephant in financial history, but due to the cover-up by some people, not much news about it was released.

After completing this merger and acquisition, the next step will be further merger and acquisition with JPMorgan Chase.

As long as this step is completed, Lino Bank will become the largest bank in the United States and even the world, and Ian's foundation in the financial industry will be solid.

But let Gaskell handle these things, as they can't be done in a short time anyway.

After completing the merger and acquisition, Ian still had more than 8 billion in cash.

Ian chose to buy Amazon stock.

Amazon went public in 97, with a peak market capitalization of approximately $4.38 million. In 00, the Internet bubble burst and Amazon's stock price plummeted by 90%. In 01, it fell to $5 per share, with a market capitalization of tens of millions.

In 03, they finally started to make a profit, but now that they have reached that stage, it is the right time to get involved.

Amazon's current market value is only about 1.5 million, of which only about 40% is on the stock market. Even if Ian buys it in full, it will only be about million, so he will definitely buy as much as he can and hold it for a long time.

Of course, he can't actually buy all of them, so it would be good if he can buy 30-35%.

It doesn’t matter, that’s enough.

Ian Carr then invested in many companies including Nvidia, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, and Walmart.

It can be said that it was not until this year that he truly entered the stock market investment in an all-round way.

Ian does not plan to hold most of these stocks for a long time. Although companies such as Microsoft still have strong momentum in the future, they have passed the most suitable investment period. Although their size has increased rapidly, the increase rate is limited.

For example, Microsoft’s current market value is as high as hundreds of billions of US dollars. Even if it grows to trillions in the future, it will only be ten times.

That's not necessary.

Although Amazon's size has soared due to its subsequent continuous financing, its growth curve is still higher than Microsoft's.

The same goes for Nvidia, which also has a high growth curve.

Stocks with high growth curves are held for the long term. It's simply because the market doesn't have enough stocks to absorb Ian's funds that he needs to buy some stocks with low growth curves. He buys them with the intention of selling them at the right time to make a short-term profit, such as using it to repay loans from Japan. Therefore, there's no need to wait for companies like Microsoft, Intel, and Walmart to reach their peak.

Taking advantage of the brief downturn brought about by the Madoff fraud case, Ian invested more than 8 billion, which actually caused the entire Wall Street stock market to recover slightly.

After completing this task, Ian rubbed his left eye, which was almost blinded by fatigue, and went to the airport without stopping.

He's going to Iraq!

The war was about to break out and the two countries had stopped flying, so Ian went to Russia first and then transferred from Russia to Iraq.

The Russians were also confused when they learned that he was going to Iraq.

Are you sure you want to go to Iraq now?
Did you know that a war was about to break out?
Did you know that all the Americans in Iraq who could run away have run away?
Ian said: "I know! But I'm a journalist. Even countries at war can trade with each other, so why can't journalists?"
Good reason!
But did you know that this does not diminish the huge risk factor?
I hope Saddam doesn't chop off your head for this!
………………

2003, April 4.

A passenger plane lands at Baghdad airport.

When Ian got off the plane with Bridson, the new first butterfly Van Nistelrooy and translator Clark, he could see Iraqis everywhere trying to leave by plane... His secretary and assistant did not come.

Now these are the three who are willing to follow him.

Brydeson did it because he had absolute trust in him, and Van Nistelrooy and translator Clark both came because they had terminal illnesses, and they were just after money.

So the lineup this time is very quiet.

When I got off the plane, I saw that the whole airport was busy and even chaotic, with people everywhere scrambling to get on the plane to leave the country.

The airport was full of soldiers, who looked around vigilantly. Once their eyes fell on Ian and the other three, they could no longer move away.

Ian walked over with the translator, and Clark, the translator, said timidly: "This is Mr. Ian Carr. He is here to do an interview. He is not an enemy."

The soldiers looked at Ian as if they had seen a ghost.

Don’t you know that your country is going to attack us?
How dare you come?
Fortunately, someone had heard of Ian's reputation.

An Iraqi soldier, whose appearance was clearly different from the other soldiers, stepped forward, looked Ian up and down, and said in broken English, "Ian Carl? Is it really you? I've seen your photo. How dare you come to Iraq at this time?"

Ian smiled: "Why not? I believe President Hussein will not kill me for this."

He was sure of it.

Although Saddam Hussein was a tyrant, the first Gulf War had made him see the truth.

He himself is not a man of integrity, otherwise he would not have fled... His performance in the international court was that of a coward!

The war hasn't broken out yet, which means it can still be stopped! And Ian Carr, America's most famous journalist and media tycoon!

I am your lifeline, Saddam Hussein!

Sure enough, following the soldier's report, a jeep drove over soon.

The leading officer called out to Ian, "Ian Carl?"

Ian smiled: "It's me."

"Get in the car, the president wants to see you!"

(End of this chapter)