Chapter 848: Empty Attack

There are two sides to every story.

Just as Jacob Rothschild and Evelyn Rothschild were discussing how to teach Sumitomo Corporation a lesson,

Elena also returned to her family home in Norfolk County and enjoyed a sumptuous dinner with her family.

'Oh my goodness, sister, you went to New York to find Xia Yu. Did you meet my master?'

Hearing her sister talk about her experiences in New York, Henry, who was buried in his steak, immediately looked up and asked in a loud voice.

Elena smiled gently and said, 'Yes, your master is Xia Yu's bodyguard, so of course he was there when Xia Yu was.'

Henry suddenly looked pained, and said to his sister, Elena, with a heavy heart, 'Sister, why didn't you bring me? I haven't seen my master for a long time. I want him to see my progress. He has a talented student.'

Henry was startled, and Elena thought there was something important going on. She didn't expect it to be bragging. Elena rolled her eyes impatiently and said wordlessly, 'Henry, when did you become so narcissistic?'

Henry blinked, looked at his sister very seriously, and asked, 'Sister, I'm telling the truth. Let me tell you, I'm now the leader of the class, and no one dares to argue with me, because my kung fu is already very good. Last time...'

Seeing that Henry seemed to be getting more and more excited as he went on, Elena quickly stopped him: 'Okay, the most awesome Henry, before you tell me all this, don't you need to finish eating the steak on your plate first?'

'(⊙o⊙)...'

'Okay, you don't want to hear about the glorious deeds of the wise and valiant Henry defeating the forces of evil. I'll tell my master about it next time I see him.'

Henry shrugged uninterestedly and then lowered his head again, looking at the steak on his plate with a knife and fork in a solemn expression as if the steak were also the evil forces he had mentioned.

Elena stroked her forehead in silence and looked up at her father.

Duke Carter Howard was beaming, as if he was enjoying the sibling bickering.

'I'm full, Dad. I'm going to go out to the garden and keep Dora company.'

After finishing his steak, Henry wiped his mouth with a paper towel, said his piece and ran off.

Dora was the family's golden retriever, very clingy and Henry's best friend.

'Be careful!'

Duke Carter Howard said.

'Okay, I know!'

Henry said without looking back, and disappeared through the door.

'Since Henry learned kung fu, he has become more outgoing and confident,'

Duke Carter Howard said with some emotion to his daughter Elena.

Elena nodded in agreement with a smile, 'Yes!'

'Elena, judging from the situation, the Bright Foundation has been very active recently. I hope that while you are busy with work, you will also pay attention to rest. After all, health is most important.'

Duke Carter Howard also finished eating. He put down his knife and fork, gently wiped his mouth, and then said to Elena with concern.

The financial industry is not as relaxed as people think.

Although there are commuting hours, very often, even after work, you still have to socialise for work and projects. It is difficult to separate life from work.

Especially when the financial company is working on a big project, overtime is very common.

Not to mention that Elena is in a key position. Now it can be seen from public opinion and the capital market that Bright Fund is making frequent big moves. Elena can hardly relax, and Duke Carter Howard doesn't want his daughter to work so hard.

'Dad, I'm not tired. Manager George rarely gives me work to do. I'm probably the most free person in the whole company,'

Elena said with a light smile, which made Duke Carter Howard feel much more at ease.

At that moment, Elena talked about the real reason for her return.

'Dad, when I was in New York this time, Xia Yu told me that he had an idea for cooperation and wanted to work with you or Lloyds Bank,'

Duke Carter Howard's eyes narrowed, and he said, 'Let's go and talk on the sofa.'

After that, the father and daughter went to the sofa, and the butler, who had been waiting, immediately instructed the servants to clear the table.

'What is his idea for cooperation?'

Duke Carter Howard asked with interest.

Apart from the few times he had helped Xia Yu for free, any other cooperation with Xia Yu had been very profitable for him.

More importantly, it was very easy to cooperate with Xia Yu, and he didn't have to worry about Xia Yu giving him a hard time. Duke Carter Howard said that he could do a dozen more collaborations like this one.

Seeing that her father was interested, Elena gave a small smile and told him what Xia Yu had asked her to convey when they were in New York.

'...'

'He really said that? He has already mobilised tens of billions of dollars in capital? And he is confident that he can raise another hundred billion dollars in capital within a week?'

'Elena, do you think what Xia Yu said is true?'

After hearing this, Carter Howard asked his daughter in shock.

Since when has Xia Yu had the ability to do this?

Even with the Howard family's centuries of accumulation, it is impossible to do this, and Xia Yu actually said that he can do it. Duke Carter Howard felt a sense of unreality, it was too unbelievable.

But Elena believed Xia Yu's words without a doubt. Looking at her father's eyes with a calm expression, she nodded and said, 'Dad, I don't think Xia Yu would lie. And he is indeed doing this. Before I went home, I went to the company first and conveyed Xia Yu's orders to Manager George. Maybe starting tomorrow, the staff of Guangming Foundation will go to major mining companies in Europe.'

'Dad, I'm not sure what the situation is with Xia Yu's company outside the UK, but in the Bright Foundation where I work, I feel that the whole of the UK has underestimated its strength. But I can't tell you what the situation is exactly. I'm now an employee of the company, and I have to keep its secrets.'

Duke Carter Howard laughed, but supported his daughter's attitude of keeping the company's secrets, praising, 'You did the right thing, you don't have to tell me the real situation of the Bright Foundation.'

Afterwards, he said with interest, 'I have also paid attention to the futures market. The Bahraini bank is now in a very embarrassing situation, in stark contrast to its fierce offensive at the beginning. I think Barret Bahrain is now pulling out his beard.'

Barret Bahrain is the current patriarch of the Bahraini family.

'Dad, you haven't said your decision yet. Should our family cooperate with Xia Yu? Or let Lloyds Bank cooperate? Or give up?'

Elena asked again. Her father's attitude was very important, as it would determine whether Bright Fund's strategy would be adjusted.

In her heart, Elena hoped that her father would say yes, after all, it would be beneficial to Xia Yu and the family.

Duke Carter Howard suppressed his smile and said slowly, 'Elena, eat some strawberries first, and let Daddy think about it.'

After pondering for a long time, Duke Carter Howard finally made up his mind and decided to cooperate with Xia Yu in the name of the Howard family.

Not only would they trade copper and aluminium futures, they would also short-sell the Bank of Bahrain and look for opportunities to acquire it.

Although the Bahraini family was also a British aristocratic family, and not a weak one at that, they were not allies of the Howard family. Both families had existed for more than two hundred years, and over time, there would always be friction.

Moreover, the Bank of Bahrain and Lloyds Bank also competed with each other.

The aristocratic alliance behind Lloyds Bank is also a royalist party, but the Barings family, relying on the connection established with King George V, monopolised the cooperation with the royal family, which set back the development of Lloyds Bank. As one of the major shareholders of Lloyds Bank, the Howard family was naturally affected.

Now that Barings Bank is killing itself, even if the Howard family comes forward to short sell and acquire it, it is in line with normal business rules, and other families will not accuse them of anything.

Of course, what finally made the Duke of Carter Howard make up his mind was that he coveted the Bank of Bahrain as well.

Although the Howard family is the majority shareholder of Lloyds Bank, they are only one of the shareholders. If he wants to use the money, he is also subject to many restrictions and has to follow the rules.

It would undoubtedly be excellent if the Howard family could own a bank with more influence.

'Elena, my father has agreed to this cooperation.'

'Dad, you've made the right decision.'

'I hope so, haha...'

...

Early the next morning, Elena set off back to London, and Duke Carter Howard also got moving.

Since he had decided to cooperate, he would go all out. Not only would he short the Bahraini bank, but he would also go long copper and aluminium futures, and acquire spot goods from mining companies to become a powerful ally.

When Xia Yu received Elena's call with the good news, he was in a great mood.

With himself, Sumitomo Corporation and the Howard family all getting involved in the UK, it would be very difficult for the Bank of Bahrain to turn the tables. Even if other families got involved, it would be useless.

However, just as Xia Yu was feeling relieved, one of his allies, Sumitomo Corporation, ran into trouble.

London branch of Sumitomo Corporation, metals trading department, nickel trading team office.

'Manager, it's bad, there's a big short position, 10,000 short orders! The position is 7,500 USD per ton!'

Suddenly, a trader exclaimed.

At the London Metal Exchange, one lot of nickel futures is six tons.

The sudden appearance of 10,000 short orders is equivalent to 60,000 tons.

What's more, the price of nickel futures is $8,925 per ton, but the shorts have unexpectedly opened positions at $7,500 per ton. The difference is astonishing, and it shows the shorts' determination.

Sumitomo Corporation is a long in the London LME nickel futures market. If the price is really suppressed to $7,500 a tonne, Sumitomo Corporation will definitely be forced to liquidate its positions with the margin it has provided, resulting in heavy losses!

I can only post one more chapter today. I have to go to work overtime now. The work is so stressful at the end of the year.