Chapter 8 How did he know in advance?
During the department's routine meeting, Zhou Yi stood at the front, expressionlessly summarizing the day's battle and tomorrow's strategy.
"...Although the overall market performed poorly today, and our department also incurred losses, our risk control was relatively well-executed compared to other departments. We just need to find a way to make up for today's losses tomorrow. Also, besides routine operations, were there any other special matters to note today?"
A trader replied, "Ah, yes, Manager. The overall market showed a downward trend today, so we mainly followed the plan, executing some hedging operations in key sectors to manage risk exposure. There were no other special actions."
"Hmm, it seems this downward trend might continue for a while. Remain vigilant and strictly control risks in the coming days."
"Yes."
"Everyone worked hard. Today... let's leave early."
Wow! They're even leaving early!
Fantastic!
Su Hao was thrilled and quickly rushed home to clear dungeons!
The Guild Leader even specifically sent a message reminding him to be online on time today!
***
There's a saying: Many interesting and significant events in this world often happen while you're sound asleep.
The reason, however, is simply that the Earth is round.
While you're snoring loudly in the Eastern Hemisphere, earth-shattering events might be unfolding in the Western Hemisphere.
When you wake up the next day, bleary-eyed, and check your phone, lo and behold, in a different time zone on the other side of the Earth, dramatic changes capable of altering the global landscape have taken place.
This time was no exception.
The next day, early morning.
It was still dark, but the trading department was already brightly lit!
Traders who had caught wind of the news, abandoned sleep, and rushed to the company at the first opportunity were gathered in the office, each with a solemn expression.
Some even had sweat on their foreheads, and the entire space was filled with a restless, anxious atmosphere, like a swarm of disturbed hornets.
"Manager! Manager!!! Did you see the news? It's explosive!!!"
A young trader practically burst into Zhou Yi's office, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
"I saw it," Zhou Yi's voice was unusually calm, almost unnaturally so.
However, no one noticed that his clenched fists, resting on his knees, had knuckles that were white from exertion.
"Those bureaucrats in Indonesia! Have they lost their minds?! To make such a huge move, without even a pre-warning, not even a whisper?! Just... a sudden attack?! What the hell are they trying to do?!"
Another trader couldn't help but curse, his tone filled with incredulity and anger.
Yes.
Just last night, while most people in Xia Country were still asleep, a piece of news capable of shaking the global related industrial chain exploded like a bolt from the blue.
No, perhaps "bolt from the blue" isn't even accurate enough.
For the financial market, especially for these frontline traders, this was nothing short of a sudden earthquake of magnitude 8 or higher!
[Indonesia Government Issues Late-Night Emergency Announcement: Effective Immediately, the country will reduce its nickel ore supply by 30%! And officially initiate relevant export control measures!]
Indonesia! That's the world's largest nickel ore producer!
Its position in the global nickel market is crucial!
However, recently, due to various factors like the global economic situation, there has been a temporary oversupply of nickel ore, causing international nickel prices to fall continuously, and Indonesia was no exception.
The market had long anticipated that the Indonesia government might introduce some "symbolic" measures, such as a slight production cut or some verbal statements, to stabilize market sentiment.
Who would have thought... they completely ignored the rules!
They either didn't act at all, or when they did, they flipped the table directly!
"If they only cut by five percent, everyone could understand it, thinking it was reasonable. But this... this is a 30% cut all at once?! A full thirty percent! Are they crazy?! Do they know how much impact this will have on the market?!"
"Exactly!" Another trader chimed in, his tone full of resentment:
"At least give us a heads-up, give the market some time to react! They've been playing dead all this time, acting like nothing would happen, and now... they just launch a surprise attack? What kind of behavior is this?!"
A 30% reduction in exports from the world's largest supplier!
This number is no longer just a simple "impact"!
This is practically a depth charge thrown into a calm lake!
It's enough to unleash a violent, even disruptive, shockwave across the global nickel-related industrial chain, and even broader energy and materials sectors!
And this also indirectly confirms one point:
The Indonesia government has reached its limit with the current "terrible situation" in the nickel market and is determined to use the most extreme and drastic means to turn the tide!
As a result, the consequences were almost immediate.
There will be a huge gap in global nickel supply!
And those industries highly dependent on nickel ore, especially the battery industry, which was shrouded in gloom and generally pessimistic yesterday, are very likely to be completely transformed by this sudden "supply cut" crisis!
"But not all battery companies will benefit and take off," Zhou Yi's calm voice rang out, interrupting the buzzing discussion.
"The logic is simple: companies without sufficient nickel ore reserves or insufficient raw material inventory can only watch their costs skyrocket like a rocket, eventually being ruthlessly eliminated by the market, with nowhere to cry."
His gaze swept over the tense faces, and he continued, "Conversely, those companies that prepared early, or simply got lucky, with warehouses full of 'excess' nickel ore, will overnight transform from being ignored to becoming highly sought-after darlings, reaping the benefits and making a fortune!"
However... the truly fatal issue, the one causing the entire trading department to be filled with panic at this moment, was not merely a matter of "who profits and who loses"...
The truly fatal problem was that a significant portion, perhaps even the vast majority, of trading teams were convinced that battery-related stocks would continue to fall due to the previous negative news!
In pursuit of profit, yesterday, or even earlier, they had already pre-positioned a large number of... short positions!
This! This was the fundamental reason why these normally calm and composed elite traders were so disoriented, so panicked, and in such disarray at this moment!
Once the market opens today, if the stock prices in the battery sector truly reverse course and skyrocket due to this news, then those holding large short positions... their losses will expand geometrically, like an avalanche!
That would absolutely be catastrophic!
Enough to get some traders directly fired!
"Has the research department compiled the list of companies with nickel ore reserves?" Zhou Yi asked in a deep voice. It was crucial to immediately identify potential beneficiaries.
"N-not that fast yet, Manager," a subordinate responsible for liaison quickly replied.
"Those guys in the research department probably just received the news too and are frantically digging through data! But... but I just heard a rumor that... currently, in our country, the battery-related company with the largest known nickel ore reserves seems to be... only one!"
Only one?! The moment the words "only one" entered his ears!
It was as if a blinding flash of lightning, without warning, suddenly split open Zhou Yi's muddled mind!
A company name that he had scorned and dismissed as insignificant yesterday now burned into the depths of his consciousness like a red-hot branding iron!
His heart suddenly constricted!
"Could it be..." He asked almost subconsciously, in a dry voice he himself couldn't believe, "...is it Greenmei?"
The subordinate was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up:
"Oh? That's right! Manager, you're brilliant! It is! It's Greenmei! You knew too? The news I heard also said that! They say Greenmei's stock price today... it will probably hit the daily limit right at the open, and it wouldn't be surprising if it hit several daily limits in a row!"
"..."
Zhou Yi didn't speak again.
He just stood there, stunned, his gaze unfocused, staring blankly at the empty air in front of him, his entire being as if frozen in place, unmoving.
The voices of others in the office, the noisy discussions, the tense breathing... all seemed to fade away from him at that moment.
"Manager?" The subordinate called out to him, a little confused, seeing no reaction for a long time.
No response.
In Zhou Yi's mind, at this moment, only one name and one figure that he had dismissed as a "fool," a "greenhorn," a "connected person" yesterday, echoed repeatedly.
Su Hao.
That Crown Prince.
Yesterday... that kid... used all the virtual operating funds given to him by the higher-ups in an almost foolish way, going all-in, buying a full position in...
Greenmei!!!
Zhou Yi felt as if his blood had solidified at that moment.
He... that newcomer...
He knew already?
He knew this would happen?
"No wonder..."
A thought exploded in his mind like a thunderclap!
"No wonder yesterday afternoon when they announced leaving early, that kid was overjoyed, grinning like a weasel who stole a chicken!"
At the time, he thought that smile was inexplicable, even a bit annoying.
Now he understood!
That wasn't just silly happiness about leaving early!
That was... the smile of a victor!!!
The Indonesia government's sudden and seemingly insane counterattack, let alone ordinary traders like them, probably no top analytical institution or so-called intelligence department worldwide could have predicted it!
There wasn't even the slightest whisper of related news in the market!
"But..."
Zhou Yi felt incredulous, a huge question mark pressing down on his heart like Mount Tai.
"That connected person..."
"That guy who didn't even bother to diversify his investments yesterday..."
"How the hell did he know beforehand?"
Zhou Yi felt his scalp tingle, and a chill ran up his spine to the top of his head!