I’m in Hollywood

That share subscription contract won't cause any trouble for Yahoo, Eric shook his head and said, Now I'm more worried that Microsoft's next reaction will affect Yahoo's stock price, and even the entire Nasdaq stock market.

Although Eric only spoke half of what he said, Frank Wells understood immediately.

In recent days, the Nasdaq index has rushed to a high of 4,700 points. As long as the severely bubbled technology stock market is slightly stimulated, it may trigger the collapse of the entire Nasdaq stock market.

Although the new technology companies under Firefly Investment are already prepared for the bubble to burst, it will take at least two weeks for the Clover Fund to clear its holdings in technology stocks.

At current share prices, the final batch of tech stocks is worth more than $6 billion in total. Even if the Clover Fund has successfully cashed out most of the stocks, Eric absolutely does not want the last huge sum of money to evaporate due to the early collapse of the Nasdaq.

Due to Eric's strict confidentiality measures, Frank Wells actually doesn't know the specific situation of the Clover Fund, but he understands that the longer the Nasdaq index lasts, the more beneficial it is for the Clover Fund to reduce its holdings.

Although he was very curious about the operation of the Clover Fund, Frank Wells still resisted asking, but said: In this case, Eric, there is no need for you to quarrel with Gates just now, even if he is perfunctory for a while. OK.

That's what I planned, Eric shrugged, and said, However, Microsoft has been developing smoothly in recent years, but it has suffered a big loss from Yahoo. The depression in Gates' heart has probably accumulated for a long time. Just now If the requirements are not met, there is no way to break out.

Frank Wells thought for a while, and said: I think Microsoft should also not want to see the Nasdaq crash, and probably won't react too violently.

Eric nodded in approval and said: Gates is a very smart person. I have been giving him the feeling that Yahoo very much wants to continue to cooperate with me just now. He calms down and will not be willing to give up voluntarily with nothing. The equity subscription agreement. So, it will definitely be delayed for a while.

Amy brought another lunch to Eric. Frank Wells picked up the coffee cup and waited for a while. After Amy walked away, he continued: Eric, according to the current trend, do you think Nafia Where should the limit go?

The Nasdaq has already reached its limit, Eric picked up the tableware, and said, What is missing now is just a fuse to burst the technology stock bubble.

After saying this, Eric's movements suddenly stopped.

If Yahoo and Microsoft cannot reach a further cooperation agreement, then once the two parties part ways, Yahoo browser will lose its status as the default browser of the windows system.

As the leading stock in the new technology sector, Yahoo's stock price fell, which could easily cause a chain reaction of the overall downward trend of technology stocks.

This is one of the potential triggers that Erik wants to avoid as much as possible today.

In addition, in the next July and August, if new technology companies successively announce large-scale losses in the second quarter financial reports, then this is likely to become another trigger that leads to the collapse of the Nasdaq.

Eric is also prepared for this. Yahoo will be the first to announce the second quarter earnings report of most new technology companies before July 15. With the support of Yahoo's excellent financial data, the losses of other technology companies will no longer appear so dazzling.

However, just now, Eric suddenly remembered one of the most important triggers that may lead to the collapse of the Nasdaq, Microsoft's antitrust case.

In the past two years, the U.S. Department of Justice has been conducting antitrust investigations on Microsoft.

At this time, the Ministry of Justice has listed Microsoft's main crimes: illegally erecting barriers to prevent other competitors from entering the market; linking the purchase of Microsoft Windows with other Microsoft software; forcing computer manufacturers to sign exclusive agreements, etc.

Last week, one of Bill Gates' lovers, Stephanie Zühel, popped up to accuse Microsoft of encouraging business users to exclude other competitors by paying reverse bounties.

The so-called 'reverse bounty' is called a kickback if it sounds good, but it's actually a bribe if it sounds bad.

Moreover, the reason why Stephanie Zeuchel was able to stand up was because Gates took the initiative to take her to Microsoft's very confidential reverse bounty meeting. Although there are also many women around him, Eric has always tried his best to put the girls in the vase position he should be in, and never let them get in touch with the core secrets of the firefly system.

Therefore, after hearing the news, Eric really didn't know whether he should comment on whether the students in the gate were arrogant or stupid. As a result, the recent North American media once again pulled Clinton out of the juxtaposition with Gates, ridiculing them as two unlucky Bills who fell on their lovers together.

The testimony of Stephanie Zeucher undoubtedly made the Justice Department's investigation of Microsoft a big step forward.

So sorting out the memories in his mind, Eric gradually recalled.

One of the most critical triggers for the collapse of the Nasdaq in the original time and space was that Thomas Jackson, a federal judge in charge of the trial of the Microsoft antitrust case, suddenly announced to the public that he had key evidence of Microsoft’s monopoly at a critical moment in the case’s stalemate. A final verdict on Microsoft will be made soon.

Therefore, at the sensitive moment when the Nasdaq index had broken through 5,000 points, Thomas Jackson's statement became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Immediately after Thomas Jackson's announcement, Microsoft's stock price fell, which in turn triggered a general crash on the Nasdaq stock market. Then, as a series of huge loss-making annual financial reports of new technology companies were announced one after another, the Nasdaq index continued to fall in the following year, and even fell back to a low of 1,000 points at one point.

Due to the adverse impact of the illegal release of the news on the entire Nasdaq market, Thomas Jackson was subsequently dismissed from his post. For the sake of the overall situation, the federal government finally announced a settlement with Microsoft and canceled the anti-monopoly investigation. Microsoft also avoided being dismantled points of fate.

At this time, in the game, Eric gradually realized many of the strange things.

Thomas Jackson knew that violating the judicial process might even terminate his entire career, but he still suddenly disclosed the inside story of Microsoft’s antitrust case to the media. Immediately afterwards, Microsoft’s stock price began to fall, which led to the overall decline of the Nasdaq index. crash.

This incident seemed accidental, but it seemed too coincidental.

You know, even if the federal court makes a judgment to split Microsoft, Microsoft can still appeal.

Therefore, in order to destroy the entire Nasdaq index, when Thomas Jackson announced the bad news about Microsoft, he would definitely need a large number of stock selling to cooperate with the suppression of Microsoft's stock price, so as to achieve the ultimate goal.

Now, as the Nasdaq index is approaching the high of 5,000 points step by step, although many investors who were originally pessimistic about the Nasdaq index have begun to turn to buy technology stocks, but at the same time, more short-selling funds continue to enter the market, trying to gain profits after the Nasdaq index collapsed. Windfall profits.

According to the profit-seeking nature of capital, in the face of the expected huge profits of tens of billions of dollars, it is enough for many people to take the initiative to destroy the NASDAQ index.

In this way, the appearance of Stephanie Zeuchel, like the Lewinsky scandal, is obviously not an accidental event.

After all, even if there is no longer any friendship between them, if a small employee wants to testify against his former boss, without any behind-the-scenes promotion or profit-driven situation, it is difficult for ordinary people to make such a decision that may affect their life. choice.

The testimony of Stephanie Zeucher did cause a wave of decline in Microsoft's stock price, but it did not lead to the results some people wanted.

So, what's next?

Thinking quickly in his mind, after lunch casually, Eric called Kelly Hines and asked her to sort out the relevant information of the Microsoft antitrust case and come to Firefly Studios as soon as possible.

A few hours later, Eric was discussing with John Williams, the soundtrack composer of Gravity, the details of the soundtrack adjustment of some shots of the film. There was a knock on the studio door, and Kelly in a light gray professional suit probed Come in and greet Eric softly.

Eric nodded in response, and discussed with John Williams for a while before leaving the studio.

As soon as she went out, Kelly, who was sitting on the sofa outside, got up and walked over, handed a folder to Eric, and said, Eric, I'm a little short on time, I don't know if this is enough?

Eric held the folder in his hand and said, Go to my office and talk.

Kelly nodded, followed Eric to leave the post-production center and came to his office in the administrative district.

Walking into the office, Eric signaled Kelly to be free, so he sat down behind the desk and opened the documents in his hand.

Kelly didn't care about Eric's casual attitude. On the contrary, she liked it a little in her heart. She knew that Eric would only behave like this to those closest to her.

After the joy of several nights at the beginning, these two people have maintained a very special intimacy over the years. Moreover, due to the shadow of her previous marriage, Kelly has no intention of finding a partner again, and unknowingly pins some emotions on Eric.

After making coffee lightly, she quietly placed a cup of coffee beside Eric who was focused, before Kelly sat down across the desk and quietly looked at Eric's reading materials.

The information Kelly collected in a short period of time was not much, but it was enough for Eric to get all the information he wanted.

History has not changed much. The judge responsible for hearing the Microsoft antitrust case is still Thomas Jackson, and the opponent is a very old federal judge. Moreover, from the information in hand, Thomas Jackson cannot be regarded as a firm split Microsoft's hardliners even took the initiative to facilitate a settlement negotiation between Microsoft and the Federal Department of Justice last year, but no agreement was reached.

Well, this information undoubtedly once again proved some of Eric's guesses.

After turning over the last page of information, Eric raised his head and happened to notice Kelly staring at him, so he smiled and said, Am I handsome again?

Peeking at the little man in front of her was caught, Kelly blushed slightly, and said, I just think, you must have forgotten to shave these days.

Recently, I have been focusing on the final editing of Gravity, and unconsciously neglected these details of life. Eric stroked his stubbled chin and said with a smile: There is no way, the bachelor Life is always so bleak, and you don't care about me.

Where is it my turn? Kelly gave Eric a light look, and said, Eric, what do you want these materials all of a sudden?

Eric picked out Thomas Jackson's information and handed it to Kelly, saying, Have you noticed what happened to Stephanie Zucher recently?

I know, I think this incident should be similar to the Lewinsky incident, Kelly took the few pages of information handed over by Eric, glanced over after speaking, and said with ridicule and admonition in her tone: So, Eric, you'd better be careful on weekdays.

Of course, I will definitely not do something as stupid as Gates.

Who knows, you men, Kelly said again, then raised the information in Yang's hand, and turned to the topic: Is there anything wrong with this person?

I don't know. Eric shook his head and said, That's why I asked you to come here. I want to check if there is anything wrong with this person, or if there is something wrong with him.

Kelly was aware of Eric's intentions, but was a little confused: Eric, I have been paying attention to the possible investigation of the Firefly system by the Ministry of Justice and the sec, and there is nothing special about it for the time being. It seems that we don't need it in the Microsoft case. Intervene?

Of course we won't meddle in Microsoft's case, Eric nodded. I'm just worried that Thomas Jackson will become another Stephanie Zühel. Just imagine, if in this sensitive period recently , Thomas Jackson suddenly released some remarks that are unfavorable to Microsoft, coupled with the secret cooperation of some people, what kind of results will it lead to?

Kelly turned her thoughts around and said, The Nasdaq collapsed.

That's right, those people pushed Stephanie Zühel out. They didn't achieve their goals, and they will definitely shoot again. I think this breakthrough point must still be in the Microsoft antitrust case, and Thomas Jackson happened to be one of them. The key person. After Eric finished explaining, he no longer concealed his intentions, and said bluntly: So, I hope to arrange a monitoring of Thomas Jackson. If I can get something useful, it will not only stop the Nasdaq The premature collapse will damage the interests of the Firefly system, and we will have an extra bargaining chip in our hands to negotiate with Microsoft. I still hope that Yahoo browser can continue to maintain its status as the default browser for windows.”

Eric, it is very sensitive to monitor such a government official. It takes at least a week of preparation time to be foolproof. According to you, we may not have that long time.

Eric felt that there was something in Kelly's words, and said, So?

Kelly continued: Cromwell recently purchased a batch of monitoring and anti-monitoring equipment. You should have seen the purchase list. So, if you trust him enough, this matter should be It's an easy job.