My 1999

"Why Oil Prices Are Falling" - Fortune Magazine.

"A breakthrough in shale oil technology has pushed oil prices into a downward channel" - Wall Street Journal.

"China's economy is about to collapse, driving energy prices down" - Newsweek.

After February 1st, as if overnight, the mainstream media in the United States were flooded with talk of falling oil prices.

After entering February 2, some interviews with experts who were bearish on oil appeared on TV.

In response to this trend, international crude oil futures fell on February 3, from the original US$23.9 per barrel to US$23.5 per barrel.

Xu Liang looked at the comments on the Internet and knew in his heart that this was Larry Ellison's move.

"Mr. Xu, do we want to continue to increase our positions and increase oil prices?"

Qiu Heng, head of Kunpeng Fund, asked in the video.

"No need. Let them lower the oil price first. When it is low enough, we will then buy the bottom and raise it." Xu Liang thought briefly and then concluded.

The current average price of Xu Liang's long oil positions is 22.5 US dollars per barrel.

The warning line for closing positions is $20.75 per barrel.

So, he still has deep pads to handle the pressure.

"But if we let it go and allow oil prices to fall and form a general trend, it will be difficult to raise oil prices again." Qiu Heng advised.

"Don't worry, I won't let it go. And it's not that easy to make oil prices really fall." After a pause, Xu Liang looked at Xia Changsheng, who was silent in the video on the other side.

"How are you preparing for the Jianlibao mortgage loan?"

"We have reached an agreement with Singapore's United Overseas Bank, and the loan will be released in three days if nothing happens for US$2 billion and 4.8% interest."

"well done."

Standard Chartered's efficiency was too low, and it had more reviews on this loan, so Xia Changsheng simply switched to UOB.

As the largest bank in Singapore, although UOB is not as strong as Standard Chartered, it has no problem taking this business.

After getting the loan, Xu Liang had another US$2 billion in liquidity.

Capital is more abundant.

After chatting for a few more words, Xu Liang turned off the video, pondered for a moment and then took out his cell phone to call Xie Wen.

"Mr. Xu?"

"Lao Xie, I have read Hongmeng's financial report this year. It performed very well. You have made great contributions."

"Thank you very much. This is what I should do."

Xu Liang smiled and then changed the topic.

"I have something to trouble you with."

"You tell me."

"The U.S.-Iran conflict is given greater weight in all the company's news channels, especially on the homepage of overseas Bing News and Naver portals. Any remarks about the U.S. troop deployment or threats to the Middle East must appear prominently on the homepage."

Xie Wen was a little surprised, "Mr. Xu, do you think the two countries will go to war?"

Although he knew that Xu Liang invested in long oil, he didn't think about it for a while.

"Who knows? But this kind of news is conducive to creating panic and raising oil prices. Of course, war news is always more eye-catching, which is a win-win situation." Xu Liangdao.

With the publication of "Times", it is no longer a secret that he is optimistic about oil bulls, and there is no need to hide it from his confidants like Xie Wen.

"I understand, I'll explain it right away."

"SARS in China is getting more and more serious. Please spread the word and let everyone pay attention."

"OK."

After chatting for a few words, Xu Liang hung up the phone, thought about it and called Yang Zhiyuan again.

"Brother Yang, how have you been lately?"

"It's not bad. But now you are so famous that you are on the cover of Time Magazine."

"Haha, you boarded it five years ago, why do you still envy me?" Xu Liang said with a smile.

Having said that, what really makes Yang Zhiyuan envious is Xu Liang's age.

When he was taken seriously by Time Magazine because of Yahoo, he was almost thirty, and Xu Liang was only 21 years old.

And in terms of career, in addition to Hongmeng, which is not much inferior to Yahoo, there is also Hanhua Capital, which is growing rapidly in the financial field and is more successful than him.

"That's all from my old calendar. By the way, are you still in the United States?"

"No. There's something going on here in London, so I'm here." Xu Liang said.

"I originally wanted to pay you New Year's greetings, but it seems I have no chance."

"Haha, we are such familiar friends and don't need to care about these false etiquette." Xu Liang said.

After responding, Yang Zhiyuan changed the topic.

"Xu Liang, did you read the news this morning?"

"Brother Yang is talking about oil shorts, right?"

"Well... I remember that you have always advocated long oil. Now there are so many media advocating short oil. Even if it is not directed at you, you should be careful."

"Thank you, Brother Yang, for warning me. I will be careful." After a pause, "Is there anything else I want to trouble Brother Yang with?"

"You said it. As long as I can do it, I will never refuse."

"I hope Yahoo News can increase the weight of the dispute between the United States and Afghanistan and put this news on the home page as much as possible." Xu Liangdao.

Yang Zhiyuan is also a smart man and instantly understood what Xu Liang meant.

"Do you think there will be a fight in the Middle East?"

"I don't know if there will be a fight. But Brother Yang, you have also seen the news in the newspaper. Since they can suppress oil prices through creating public opinion, of course I can also create panic through public opinion and raise oil prices.

Moreover, I am not trying to create panic, I am just making some news that others pay little attention to more eye-catching. " Xu Liang said.

Having said that, Yang Zhiyuan instinctively felt that things were not that simple, but he couldn't tell what was wrong.

"No problem. I will explain this matter tomorrow."

Yang Zhiyuan agreed simply.

Now Hongmeng and Yahoo are in the honeymoon period.

Hongmeng's Bing and Yahoo Search exchanged many patents with each other to improve the technical capabilities of their respective search engines.

Compared with the advancement of search engine technology, it is not difficult to just increase the weight of a type of news.

Moreover, the conflict between the United States and Iraq is now a hot topic in international news, and there will not be much resistance if it is placed on the home page.

"Thank you, Brother Yang. I will treat you to dinner next time I come to the United States."

"Haha, then I'll be waiting."

After the two chatted for a few more words, they hung up the phone.

——

February 4, 2003.

Yahoo News Headlines.

"Iraq, which harbors weapons of mass destruction, will be a major threat to Middle East security."

There are no exaggerated words in the content. It is just a reorganization and publication of what the White House said. It does not involve oil futures.

However, anyone with any sense knows what impact a war in the Middle East will have on oil prices.

Larry Ellison looked somber.

boom.

He slapped his palms hard on the table.

"Damn Yahoo, damn Yang Zhiyuan, the Immigration Bureau should have driven these stinky yellow-skinned monkeys out of the United States long ago."

Angry voices echoed throughout the office.

Howard Eisen could understand his anger.

Yahoo's news headlines caused oil, which was originally suppressed to $23.5, to rise rapidly after the opening. Although it did not return to the original high of 23.9, it also rose to 23.7.

"Larry, anger can't solve the problem. Now there are probably hot money waiting to see. The more times like this, the more resolute we must be to bring down the price of oil. Only in this way can more people choose to follow us."

Paul Singer, who made the video call, said.

He is a veteran of the hedge fund industry, has rich experience, and knows the choices at critical moments.

Alexander Soros in the video also nodded in agreement.

"There is no turning back when you shoot. The harder it is, the more money you have to spend."

Larry Ellison took a deep breath and said with a cold expression, "Of course I know how to spend money, but what if Yahoo keeps stumbling on us?

There is also a portal website owned by Hongmeng. One-third of the information on it is now hyping the conflict between the United States and Iraq. "

"Yang Zhiyuan and Xu Liang are both Chinese and Chinese, and Yahoo and Hongmeng cooperate with each other in the Internet search business. The relationship between them is very close. It is basically impossible for us to separate them.

However, Yahoo is not Hongmeng, and Yang Zhiyuan does not have the final say alone. So we can talk to Semel privately. " John Thornton said.

Terry Semel, current CEO of Yahoo.

"What if he doesn't agree?" Larry Ellison asked.

Yahoo is now cooperating with Hongmeng and has a close relationship. It has no connection with financial institutions like them.

“Always give it a try, what if it works?

Of course, influencing public opinion is only a secondary means. The first thing we should do now is to bring down oil prices. " John Thornton said.

Everyone exchanged glances with each other, and after having no objections, an agreement was reached.