America 1919

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"What's happening?"

Those miserable NYSE traders, answering the phones in their hands, all had shocked expressions on their faces.

Just now, they had received calls from their companies to buy ABC stock at any cost!

To hell with Rockefeller!

To hell with Morgan!

To hell with Mellon!

To hell with everything!

We need to buy ABC stock now; it's not that we don't want to support you, but ABC is just too profitable, our clients are too excited. If I don't buy ABC for my clients now, they'll sign with another company the moment they turn around!

At this point, not even God could make a difference, as Donnie said!

Soon, a trader in the trading hall shouted into the phone, "The ABC annual advertising auction has ended, and the final amount is 17.58 million US dollars! Yes, you bastards heard right, 17.58 million US dollars!"

"Buy ABC, yes, buy, what, it's already 58 cents? Buy, no matter what, gobble it all up. It's already 59 cents? Even if it goes to 65 cents, eat it all up!"

The entire NYSE trading floor had not yet had time to digest the amount brought in by ABC's annual advertising auction when it was drowned out by the resounding calls to buy ABC stock.

Now in the entire NYSE trading hall, there was no other sound but the purchasing of ABC stock!

The young Rockefellers and others were standing at the railing in the second-floor VIP lounge; in the past, when they stood here, they were sure to receive the admiring and envious gaze of the traders in the trading hall.

But now, no one cared about them!

The few traders who did glance up and see them displayed a look of sympathy in their eyes.

The young Rockefellers and the others were stung by this look of sympathy; when had they ever needed the pity of these ants!

"The stock price of ABC has risen to 65 cents per share, and it's expected to break 70 cents per share by the end of today,"

Richard Whitney appeared behind them, speaking in a voice that sounded somewhat feeble.

This feebleness was not just physical, but also mental.

All of this happened too fast, so fast that everyone was caught off guard. If one had to describe the feeling, it was like bungee jumping... if the era had bungee jumping!

From the peak to the valley bottom in less than ten minutes!

And within those ten minutes, the defeat of these people was already pronounced.

The American giants, mega-conglomerates, had actually been defeated by a man who had only been on the United States business scene for two years.

If someone had told Richard Whitney this that morning, he certainly would have suggested they get a good mental check-up.

But now, it had all happened, right before their very eyes!

"Don't these people know that revenue doesn't equate to profit? Have those people all gone mad? Don't they care about their profits anymore? I just don't understand, since when did the retail investors become so united?"

Owen Young sat dumbfounded on the couch, his gaze lost, seeing nothing in the distance!

William Mellon said indifferently, "Let me answer your question. Of course, those people know that revenue doesn't represent profit. However, a revenue of 17.58 million US dollars, when it falls into anyone's ears, is a very shocking number. High revenue naturally suggests more profit, which is basic common sense.

Those who bid haven't gone mad; they've seen that advertising with ABC can bring in super high sales, which in turn, brings them more profit.

The retail investors are not united, but Donnie has given them a chance to unite, and that's ABC. This is a nationwide live broadcast; everyone watching ABC's stock will listen to this advertising auction.

Therefore, they are able to make a judgment in an instant, which is to call their damn brokerage firms and have them buy the damn ABC stock!"

By the end, William Mellon could no longer maintain his indifference!

Even though his position in the Mellon Consortium was secure as long as his uncle was around, this incident would inevitably become a dark stain on his career that he couldn't get around.

If that's how William Mellon felt, then Owen Young and George Whitney were even more so!

At this moment, George Whitney lost his composure for the first time in front of others; his meticulously groomed hair had somehow become incredibly disheveled!

For him now, there was only one thing to say, "Find Donnie, we must find Donnie immediately!"

They remained very powerful, but it was undeniable that they had lost in this matter!

They lost cleanly, without any recourse.

Although in their bones, any of the people in that room would look down on retail investors, they also knew a truth: when these retail investors united, everyone had to avoid their sharp edges!

"I... I can't accept this outcome!" Charles Meili muttered, unable to help himself.

It should be known that before this, not only had they divested the ABC stock they underwrote, but they had also included their own holdings of ABC's shares.

That is to say, the number of ABC shares they currently held did not match the number they had sold.

The result was that to make up the shares, they must buy stock from Donnie's hands.

By now, buying stock from Donnie's hands would certainly not be at the current market price; they would have to pay a higher price than the market.