Manhattan Reborn 1978

new York.

On the West Side of Lower Manhattan, in a French restaurant near the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.

David watched the waiter pour the red wine for Princeton University President Guy Luther, then raised his glass and smiled.

"Thank you for taking the time..."

After hearing David's polite words, Guy Luther shook his head slightly and smiled: "I guessed that you would come to me, but I didn't expect it to be so soon~"

"By the way, your Halloween gift...thank you!"

"Hahaha~"

"I think... you can hold your breath better than me!"

Guy Luther took a sip of red wine, picked up the napkin, opened it, looked around, and smiled.

"The school is looking for someone to investigate you because they listened to my introduction and recommendation to you~"

"As for the specific reason... do you want to hear it?"

David spread his hands, got himself a napkin, picked up the tableware and said with a smile: "Please tell me~"

"Hehe~"

"The last time we met, I was just talking about the difficulties I was having raising donations."

"You may want to ask, if Princeton University is so powerful, why does it still value donations so much?"

"The answer is simple."

"The total amount of tuition, living expenses, and some additional expenses at Princeton University has been the lowest among private universities in the United States in the past 15 years~"

“Princeton University students’ net capital for studying at school is much lower than the average level of domestic universities.”

"We are like other universities. The tuition fees paid by students cannot cover the cost of training them."

"In the past few years, the school's scholarship expenditures, faculty and staff salaries, and daily operating expenses have increased year after year."

"This also means that the cost we have to pay at Princeton University is more than double that of other universities~"

Principal Guy Luther showed a wry smile and continued.

"After World War II, annual donations over the years have raised more than $[-] million for the university, attracting many alumni to donate."

"But in the past two years, the university's funds have fallen into a vicious cycle~"

"All the investments we made under the guidance of the investment companies we originally cooperated with..."

. . .

While eating the delicious dishes, David listened to Principal Guy Luther "talking about difficulties" and "vomiting bitterness". .

As Principal Luther said just now: "Excellence cannot be sold, but a price must be paid~"

Every donation received by Princeton University can help the school gain an advantage in the increasingly fierce competition in the country; it can enable the school to hire the best teachers, recruit the most talented students, and provide them with the best education. resources, the best research equipment, the best semester environment, and more.

From the garden with birds singing and fragrant flowers to the spacious and bright classrooms, from the library with countless books to the laboratories with advanced equipment~

These donated funds have made Princeton University a place of study that students yearn for, and have also become the secret to its longevity for more than 200 years~

And all of this is needed. .money!

. . .

After finishing a lunch.

David still hadn't heard the words he wanted to say the most from Principal Guy Luther. .

David wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin and smiled: "Principal Luther..."

"Call me Guy~"

"Okay.. Guy!"

"As you said, I also saw some reports when I was checking information and relaxing in recent days."

"Northwestern University, a top school in Chicago, announced a series of new cost-saving measures in March this year."

"Including laying off about 200 employees, suspending the continued provision of scientific research funds to some laboratories that are undergoing experiments and have not yet seen clear results, etc."

“The president of Northwestern University said that he and the vice presidents will voluntarily reduce their salaries by 25%, and the deans’ salaries have also been reduced by 10%-15%~”

"Famous schools such as Harvard University and MIT in Boston have also announced their expected revenue decline in the next two years and will cut various expenditures on campus to cope with the school's financial crisis."

David put away his smile and sighed calmly: "Unfortunately, although major universities, like your school, have spent a lot of thought on personnel expenditures and thought of many ways..."

"But it is not obvious in terms of relieving the plight of a substantial reduction in fiscal revenue during the financial crisis."

"Following up, many newspapers in their reports were worried about whether colleges and universities would choose to raise tuition fees again because of the sharp increase in fiscal deficits."

"In the past 20 years, tuition fees for all types of universities in the United States have more than doubled. In some universities with special circumstances, tuition fees have more than tripled."

"Today, the tuition cost of four-year private universities is already double that of four-year public universities, generally 25% to 40% higher."

"Guy, you...what will you choose?"

Principal Guy Luther raised his eyebrows in surprise, shook his head and smiled bitterly.

"The situation in our school...is a little different from them~"

"Columbia University and Stanley University both have their own medical schools and school-affiliated medical institutions. Medical service revenue accounts for the highest proportion, exceeding renewal fee revenue~"

“Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell University, etc., have the highest proportion of income from licensing scientific research results, the second largest proportion of income from investment of donated funds, and the third largest proportion of tuition fees.”

"Harvard University and Yale University have the highest proportion of endowment income. It is estimated that it will exceed 40% this year. This part also includes the return on investment funds from donations, tuition fees...followed by ~"

"And New York University in New York City's main source of revenue, tuition accounts for more than 50%, they will inevitably increase tuition."

After Principal Luther introduced this, he said with an even more bitter smile.

"We at Princeton University do not have a medical school, no school-affiliated medical institutions, not much licensing of scientific research results that can generate income, and we do not have large donations from alumni~"

David leaned back, shrugged and said with a smile: "Coupled with your investment, the return rate is extremely low every year... Does it make your current financial crisis worse?"

"...That's right~"

Principal Luther said with sincerity: "You know what I'm going to say, and you've been waiting for me... to say it, right?"

"Haha~ Of course!"

"Tsk~ Your nickname shouldn't be Lucky Boy..."

"Haha~"

"Guy, let's not go around in circles~"

"You'd better just say it~"

"What do I get? What do I have to pay?"

Principal Luther lowered his head and pondered for a while, then raised his head and said, "This matter should have been discussed with professionals appointed by the school board."

"However, I can talk to you first~"

“There is still about $[-] million in the campus fund that can be used for investment.”

"We hope that our annual income can exceed the current bank deposit interest rate. The more, the better!"

"Uh...hehe~ you really know how to joke~"

"The more, the better... How much is it?"

"You don't think I can multiply this money several times within a year, do you?"

Principal Luther had a "you know" expression on his face and said with a smile: "I asked someone to inquire about your investment in the heating oil delivery contract this morning."

"It's only been a week, and the current book floating profit rate of your investment has exceeded 15%, close to 20%!"

"A knife worth tens of millions of meters..."

"David, you are already a new multi-millionaire!"

"Oh?~"

David, who didn't pay much attention to this matter, smiled happily: "Heating oil...has it gone up again? I really don't know~haha~"

Principal Luther stared at David for a few seconds to make sure he wasn't showing off. .Or after lying, he sighed and said.

"Yes, it... has gone up again!"

"If the current temperature does not continue to warm up, the price of heating oil will hardly fall this winter."

“You found a good investment, David!”

"Haha~Thank you."

David thanked him, but in his heart he had a few big questions about "this winter".

Heating oil, if there is no artificial manipulation of market prices behind it, its overall price trend will not fall again in the next two years. .

It’s not just a good investment, it’s a gold mine!

. . .

Principal Luther put several high hats on David's head. After some praise, he asked with expectant eyes.

"What's your decision? Are you willing to accept our investment entrustment?"

This kind. .How could David refuse a good offer of money?

He stopped procrastinating and replied directly: "Okay!"

"The investment I accepted before had an annual interest rate of 14% and a lock-in period of two years~"

"Can you accept this?"

Principal Luther's eyes fluctuated slightly and asked: "14%, is it simple interest?"

“Compound Interest!!”

"...Is there a lock-in period necessary?"

"Yes!"

“What if the yield doesn’t reach 14%?”

This time, it was David who stared at Principal Luther for a while before shaking his head.

"I understand how you feel, and I also understand Princeton University's financial constraints."

"But you must also know that no one on Wall Street will make such a promise to you!"

"Of course I can't~"

“Investment is risky, so be cautious!”

"...I still have a lot of work to do in the afternoon~"

"Let's see you next time, Principal Luther~"

Principal Guy Luther watched in silence as David stood up, waved to the waiter, and prepared to pay the bill and leave. .

All kinds of thoughts in his mind flashed rapidly~

As an old New Yorker, how could Guy Luther not know the virtues of those elites on Wall Street?

Just because he knows too much, knows too much. .That’s why I had high hopes for David, a boy who suddenly appeared~

Principal Luther and the old diehards on the school board had quarreled countless times. .

The real big guys in Wall Street's financial investment world would only find it troublesome to have such a small amount of money from Princeton University, which has "many things to do". They would tell a lot of "big truths" and keep people away from them. .

Under the financial crisis, there are many investment opportunities, and bottomless pits also exist everywhere. .

The big guys in the investment world should really take the donated funds from Princeton University and invest them. .

Earn money, everyone is happy ~

What about compensation?

Are you on the Princeton University Board of Trustees and Alumni Association vegetarian?

Incompetent bungler. .Have you heard of it?

hehe~

. . .

David and Principal Luther walked out of the restaurant and stood on the street.

Principal Luther looked at David with very complicated eyes and said, "I'm sorry, I need to go back and discuss this matter with the school board."

"Hehe~ Okay!"

"If they agree, you can discuss the relevant details later with professionals and lawyers~"

"But, I'm going to London in a few days~"

"If they are not in a hurry, wait until I come back and talk about the entrusted investment."

Principal Luther nodded slightly, stretched out his right hand and said, "Call me Guy~"

"I will give you an answer as soon as possible!"

David stretched out his right hand and said with a smile: "ok~!"

"Bye, Guy!"

"goodbye!"

. . .

on the way.

David asked the driver, Giovanni, to slow down.

He looked out the window at the street scene, pedestrians, and homeless people, and thought about what he had gained after meeting Principal Luther.

Is Princeton University’s investment a hot potato?

Yes~!

it. .Is it worth David's risk next?

Of course it's worth it!

One hundred million dollars~

If you invest it in the futures market and operate more steadily, how many times will it increase in three years?

David suddenly felt that his mathematical skills could not calculate the specific number. .

Maybe, probably, probably. .How many times will it increase?

David took a deep breath, put aside these unrealistic thoughts in his head, and began to concentrate on where this investment should be used. .

. . .

No matter how far the journey is, you will reach the end.

Wall Street.

Stanley fourth floor.

David returned to his office and asked someone to call Sam back from the commodity exchange first.

In half an hour.

Sam knocked on the door and walked in, smiled and asked, "You're looking for me?"

"Yes, sit down first~"

"How about heating oil...?"

Sam showed an excited smile and said: "Big rise!"

"Many people who were still waiting and watching have flooded into the trading pool. Yesterday and this morning, the price of heating oil continued to rise~"

David, who already knew that he had taken it from Principal Luther, nodded and asked curiously.

"Who is placing orders in the trading pool?"

Sam thought for a moment and said: "It's so scattered that you can hardly tell who is entering~"

"But before this batch of orders started pouring in yesterday, they seemed to be paying attention to futures contracts such as winter wheat and gold."

"Perhaps it is because of the sudden cooling in recent days that the price fluctuation phase of winter wheat has passed, and they will turn around and start paying attention to heating oil...?"

David didn't give any opinion on Sam's analysis, and turned to ask about the topic that had been discussed during lunch.

"Do you know anything about Princeton University and the entrusted investment companies on Wall Street?"

Sam raised his eyebrows and smiled a little. .He smiled disgustedly and said: "They are looking for you too? Haha~"

"A few months ago, they started looking for investment companies and contacted them about entrusted investment."

"What's the result? No one wants to take over?"

"Of course~"

“No one will agree to the demands made by their school board!”

"Oh?~ Please tell me in detail."

Sam shrugged and told the whole story as he knew it.

On the whole, the story behind this incident is not much different from David's guess.

The conditions proposed by Princeton University are based on their own experience and lessons learned after suffering huge losses. .

They don't want to fall into the same pit twice!

This kind. .This idea that makes people laugh or cry is simply a joke to Wall Street people~

Investment is risky, don’t the people on their school board understand?

They understand it so well~

Therefore, they proposed that specific investment income data need to be provided to the school every month and quarter; if the expected income target in the contract is not reached every year, the entrusted investment company must make up the difference and refund it without any conditions. Principal, etc., weird additional terms. .

Sam's opinion on this matter can be summed up in one sentence: Their money is not so easy to get. .

. . .

Issues of risk and return.

On the way back, David had already thought clearly ~

After listening to Sam's answer, he put the matter aside in his mind.

Principal Guy Luther, David’s vision is spot on!

But the vision of those school directors. .

David no longer has any hope~

If it succeeds, both sides will benefit. .

If not, just pretend it’s nothing~

Anyway, David just wasted his lunch time.

What they lost was a huge profit~