On Sunday, November 1st, NBC broke the news that William White planned to buy back some of his company's stock, with the total amount reaching up to $2 billion.
Although the announcement was somewhat vague, the intent was clear: the billionaire was unhappy with the current stock prices and planned to buy them back.
Compared to trillions in U.S. stocks, $2 billion didn't seem like much. However, the signal was unmistakable.
After a month of plummeting values, U.S. stocks actually lacked further downward momentum. Various so-called experts had been saying that America's economy was just fine and there was no need for concern.
Unfortunately for them, nobody was buying their line this time. If they hadn't been hiding in the studio, they might have faced a backlash. It wasn't a joke -- one unfortunate manager at Merrill Lynch was actually done in.
So, in a place awash with guns, you had to tread carefully. You absolutely had to avoid stirring up public anger.
This Monday was certainly not a Black Monday. While the U.S. stock market was barely alive, several of William White's companies had clearly stopped their decline.
Legendary World, which had taken the hardest hit, even showed signs of a slight rebound.
A gang of American bigwigs found themselves embarrassed; after two weeks of performing, nobody paid them any mind. Yet, with a simple statement from William White, the effects were immediate.
Even if there wasn't an uptick, the panic had clearly lessened.
The public wanted to tell them that they could not stand the billionaires' nonsense; "You guys are a bunch of clueless idiots."
...
That night, NBC continued reporting, stating that the billionaire announced since $2 billion didn't have much impact, he might as well invest another $2 billion. It seemed the short sellers were making quite a show.
"Powerful my foot! The guy is in big trouble. Can you give me a break? I can hardly hang in there," at that moment, countless short sellers were grinding their teeth. Luckily, they didn't dare to go all in against William White's stock, or tomorrow would be a tough one.
"Ha! This guy really has some nerve. Let's start buying back too."
"Sure thing, sir. I'll arrange a buyback plan right away."
Many stocks were actually unjustly slaughtered during the crash; there were numerous stocks similar to Walmart that shouldn't have seen such drastic drops.
Coca-Cola's shares fell by 40%. To put it bluntly, these were cheap stakes, and if you didn't hop on now, you might never get another chance.
Buffett was frustrated, as his plan to buy shares in Coca-Cola faced another obstacle. The reason was simple: William White had already jumped in, leaving him no opportunity.
For an old fox like him, buying high and selling low was out of the question. His only course of action was to wait quietly. He knew full well that William White also had his eyes on this company, so his chances were slim.
William White's buyback seemed to trigger a wave. In just one week, dozens of companies announced similar plans.
At this point, the turmoil in the U.S. stock market seemed under control. It appeared that a tragedy like the one from 1929 wouldn't be repeating itself.
In America, things come and go quickly, but other economies weren't quite so lucky. "A mess everywhere" was the best way to describe it.
Americans were feeling down, especially that unfortunate Secretary of the Treasury. His future seemed dim.
As for William White, he was clearly becoming a mascot. If you wanted to play the long game or value investing, buying his stock was a sure bet.
...
"You're a hero of America this time."
"Hero, my foot. If I had the choice, I'd prefer to stay low-key."
Jason Garrison scoffed. "You're kidding, right? There's no way you can stay low-key. My relatives in keep asking me if it's a good time to buy."
"Buying low is about your intentions. If you're looking at a long-term investment of five years or more, now's not a bad time. For short-term fluctuations? You'll just have to consult God," William said, sounding wise. White's investment was always about value -- he focused solely on the data.
"Well, I got that. It's not my concern anyway."
"Ha! If you have some spare cash, you could invest in Coca-Cola and Walmart. The returns should be pretty good, but they have to be funds you won't need anytime soon."
"Is that so? Then I'll buy a bit; it's not like I'm doing anything else."
"Eh, it's not really about being busy or not. Even if that Treasury Secretary is a pain, he's not speaking falsehoods; the dollar will depreciate for sure. If you keep it in the bank, that's not the best option."
"Got it."
William White understood that Jason rarely invested in stocks. Keeping his money in the bank was definitely not a smart move.
...
"Sir, White Fund is buying stocks. Though it's not a large operation, they're being very determined."
"Really? How much cash does this guy have tucked away? In this current situation, I doubt many banks will lend to him," the old-timer at Morgan Stanley grumbled. Their funds were tight, so large-scale acquisition was impossible.
"Sir, even with many banks going under, the Asian and European banks have made contact. We expect he can still secure at least $2 billion in credit."
"Wow, isn't that something? The richer you are, the more eager the banks are!"
His subordinate thought to himself, "That's just the way it is. We're investment bankers; when have we ever been the ones to provide assistance in difficult times?"
...
"Dad, is this guy trying to create a superhero persona for himself in America?"
"Ha! Silly son, he already is. If anybody goes against him now, the pressure would be immense. I think that's his aim."
"Saving the American economy? Is that it?"
"Isn't that enough? America needs heroes right now, and what do you know? A hero just appeared at the perfect time."
A bunch of jerks on Wall Street were constantly trying to undermine him. But after this incident, if they wanted to pull any more stunts, they'd have to be a lot more careful.
*****
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