Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 169

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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169. I’m opposed to it.

The Composite Stock Price Index had started off briskly in the thousands, but as it quickly lost momentum and continued its downward trajectory, it wasn’t until July arrived and the government implemented an expansion of foreign investment quotas in stocks that the market finally bottomed out and began its rebound.
As favorable winds swept through the market and trading volume surged, the Daehung Securities Trading Center likewise grew more vibrant, bustling with renewed energy.

Ring! Ring!
“Confirm the order I placed earlier!”
“Buy fifteen hundred shares of Sasung Electronics!”
“Five minutes until market close!”

Jung Hwan-yeop, his eyes glued to the twin bulbous CRT monitors side by side, glanced at the digital clock resting on his desk at the announcement that closing time was nearly upon them.
Then, with intense focus etched across his face, he rapidly manipulated the mouse and keyboard in each hand, executing dozens of buy and sell orders in rapid succession.
Click!
The moment his finger pressed the button, a confirmation chime sounded, and the stocks in his trading account vanished, replaced by new positions.
As the final trade executed, the closing bell rang as if on cue.
The cacophony that had filled the Trading Center—the incessant ringing of telephones and the traders’ urgent shouts barking orders into their receivers—gradually subsided.

“Phew.”

Jung Hwan-yeop finally tore his eyes from the monitor, leaned back in his chair, and exhaled deeply.
After releasing the tension and catching his breath, Jung Hwan-yeop grabbed his mouse and reviewed his trading performance for the day.

[+ 37,500,000￦]

While the market conditions had been favorable lately, today’s hit rate was solid, making for a respectable daily result.
Since July began, Jung Hwan-yeop had recorded profits without missing a single day, so his mood brightened further as he gazed at the numbers displayed on the monitor, his expression satisfied.

“I wish days like these would just keep coming.”

At that moment, Choi Ho-geun, the team leader wearing a short-sleeved dress shirt and tie, approached from behind and spoke abruptly.

“What are you doing?”
“Just checking the money I made today.”

As Jung Hwan-yeop replied with a satisfied expression, Choi Ho-geun leaned in to examine the trading account details displayed on the monitor.

“I’ve earned my keep today.”
“This much is child’s play.”

Jung Hwan-yeop puffed out his chest and shrugged his shoulders proudly.
He was already patting himself on the back for how well things seemed to be going lately, so his shoulders rose even higher.

“There you go again. Don’t you realize that one slip-up could wipe out everything you’ve managed to earn?”
“Of course I do. I’m not some greenhorn.”
“That’s exactly why I’m worried. If you were a newbie, I could keep you close and drill some sense into you, but you’ve gotten a little too cocky now that you’ve got some experience.”
“Come on. What’s wrong with me?”
“You don’t know? You need to experience what it’s like to deal with a junior just like yourself.”

Choi Ho-geun, the team leader with his eyes wide open, clicked his tongue disapprovingly as if making a point.

“Today, don’t give Miss Hong a hard time. Just finish organizing all the vouchers on time and bring them to her.”
“Yes, understood.”

Jung Hwan-yeop answered while smacking his lips.
Choi Ho-geun returned to his desk and, looking at the composite stock index on his computer—which had risen 21 points from yesterday—muttered softly to himself.

“At this rate, we might actually break through the previous high just like the department head said.”

Everyone knew that if the foreign investment stock limit was expanded further, capital inflows would boost the market.
But since the composite index had been sliding steadily since early this year with no strength, most people thought they’d be lucky if the downtrend just stopped and recovered even halfway—let alone reaching 1,000 points.
Choi Ho-geun felt the same way.
But once July arrived and foreign capital started flowing back in, the market rebounded, and as if by magic, the atmosphere completely shifted and prices climbed steeply.
Of course, there was still a long way to go before breaking through the previous high, but if this upward trend continued, breaking through 1,000 points seemed entirely possible.
As everyone’s predictions fell short, Choi Ho-geun once again marveled at Seok-won’s exceptional insight into the market.
Thanks to Seok-won’s early instructions to buy quality stocks like Sasung Electronics and Hyunwoo Heavy Industries at low prices, Team 4 and all of the Daehung Securities PI Team were posting strong returns.
While he was absorbed in thought watching the monitor, Hong Jae-hee, who had stepped away briefly, returned carrying several envelopes in her hands.

“Team Leader, here you go.”
“What’s this all of a sudden?”
“It’s the day the performance bonuses come out.”
“Oh, that’s right.”

Choi Ho-geun accepted the envelope from Hong Jae-hee, who wore a beaming smile.
At that moment, Jung Hwan-yeop, whose ears were sharp, sprang up from his chair and rushed over eagerly.

“Miss Hong! I get one too, right?”
“Of course.”
“Heh, I wonder how much came through.”

Jung Hwan-yeop tore open the envelope with barely contained anticipation.
Though the domestic stock market had been sluggish during the second quarter, and other securities firms had posted losses, the Daehung Securities PI Team had maintained steady profits thanks to Seok-won’s exceptional investment strategies, so everyone had been eagerly awaiting their performance bonuses for days.
Jung Hwan-yeop unfolded the statement he’d pulled from the envelope and let out a short whistle upon seeing the amount.

Total Payout
Deductions
Net Receipt
4,300,000
114,800
4,185,200

“This came out to more than I expected.”

When Choi Ho-geun checked his statement, he saw a figure slightly exceeding five million won.

“My wife’s going to be thrilled.”

The most significant change since Seok-won joined the company was the size of the performance bonuses.
While performance had improved, bonuses that previously would have maxed out at around 100% as a token gesture were now awarded proportionally to actual results, making work genuinely rewarding.
Hong Jae-hee and Yu Seok-hyun also tore open their statements and broke into broad smiles.

“Woohoo!”
“Yesss!!”

Suddenly, cheers erupted from Team 1’s section beyond the partition.
Everyone stirred with curiosity, the atmosphere growing lively and boisterous.

“What’s gotten into them over there?”
“Obviously they’re checking their bonuses like we did. I heard Song Jong-geun made a big yen trade, so it must have come in for a substantial amount.”

Jung Hwan-yeop replied matter-of-factly.
Choi Ho-geun, recalling how his fellow new hire Song Jong-geun had been wearing a long face over the yen situation, nodded with a slight smile.

“Seems like it.”
“Should we go find out how much he got?”

Jung Hwan-yeop’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as he asked the question.

“Are you some kind of spy? What could you possibly find out?”

Choi Ho-geun gave him a look of exasperation and chided him.

“That’s enough. Just finish organizing those receipts quickly.”
“Yes, sir.”

Watching Jung Hwan-yeop return to his seat with a disappointed expression, Choi Ho-geun shook his head.

“When will that guy ever grow up?”

Meanwhile, beyond the partition, Team 1’s section remained in complete chaos and uproar.
Though I’d told Jung Hwan-yeop to stay quiet, I was genuinely curious about just how much they’d received to warrant such a reaction.

“I’ll have to ask him about it later on the sly.”

* * *

“With the market downturn, trading commissions have plummeted, and we nearly faced a deficit this quarter. Thanks to the PI Team generating profits, we managed to save face.”

As Go Young-il, president of Daehung Securities, set down his teacup, Seok-won, seated on the sofa to the left, responded matter-of-factly.

“It’s all thanks to the path you paved for us, sir.”

By subtly referencing his dedicated oversight of the PI department before his promotion to representative director, Seok-won deflected the credit, and Go Young-il smiled faintly.

“Haha. Even flattery sounds good to hear.”

Go Young-il chuckled warmly and rested his arm on the armrest as he spoke.

“Without your exceptional investment instincts—the yen long bet and the recent Hujeong Construction investment—the PI department couldn’t have achieved these results. Everyone in the company knows this, not just me.”

Denying it here and feigning modesty would only come across as false pride.
So Seok-won simply kept quiet and listened.

“You’re doing well, so keep it up just as you have been.”
“Yes, sir.”

Contrary to his initial preconceptions, Go Young-il observed Seok-won—still young yet possessing abilities that transcended age entirely—and allowed himself a satisfied smile.
Moreover, despite being a direct heir to the owner, Seok-won never acted presumptuously and always treated him with utmost respect, which only deepened Go Young-il’s approval.
Go Young-il leaned back against the plush sofa cushion, paused deliberately for a moment, then broached the main subject.

“I asked to see you today because there’s a matter on which I’d like to hear your opinion.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“You must have seen the newspaper article recently about domestic merchant banks’ total assets surpassing 100 trillion won.”
….

At this sudden mention of merchant banks, Seok-won felt an ominous premonition stir within him.

“After all, they’re essentially engaging in effortless profit—bringing in dollars at low interest rates and lending them out at much higher rates to pocket the spread. If I were in their position, I’d pull in as much capital as possible and issue loans accordingly.”

Then, looking at Seok-won, he posed a question.

“Do you know how much net profit the merchant banks generated in the first half of this year?”
“I believe they generated nearly 200 billion won in net profit.”
“Exactly. With only about twenty merchant banks in operation, they’re generating such enormous profits—isn’t that like owning a goose that lays golden eggs?”
“High profits also suggest they’re engaging in loans with proportionally high risk, wouldn’t you say?”

Seok-won answered with measured caution.

“Where in this world is there moneymaking without risk? By that logic, stocks are no different.”

Yet Go Young-il dismissed the concern with a casual tone.

“If anything, stocks carry far greater risk than commercial paper or bonds.”

Under ordinary circumstances, this assessment would not have been incorrect.

‘But human greed knows no bounds, and in chasing ever-higher returns, one inevitably invites disaster.’

The domestic commercial paper market and the merchant banks’ business practices were deteriorating into precisely that—reckless speculation.

“I had dinner with Vice Minister Choi a few days ago, and he mentioned that the government plans to issue licenses for merchant banking operations to fifteen new securities companies next year, in line with opening the capital markets.”
….
“This shows not only that merchant banks are thriving, but that the government is actively backing this sector as well.”

Detecting the subtle implication in Go Young-il’s tone and expression, Seok-won asked with a serious face.

“Are you interested in the merchant banking sector?”

Go Young-il straightened his posture as if he’d been waiting for this moment, then spoke.

“We have plenty of talented personnel on our side. If we acquire and operate a smaller merchant bank, we could significantly expand our revenue and profits, wouldn’t you agree?”

His eyes gleamed with fervent conviction, as though he’d already made up his mind halfway.

“Beyond that, there’s talk that starting the year after next, CP will be designated as a negotiable security, allowing not just merchant banks but also commercial banks and securities companies to handle it. If we prepare now and aggressively pursue this business opportunity, I believe we could achieve remarkable results. What do you think?”

Seok-won, receiving his gaze, remained silent for a moment before responding with firm resolve.

“I’m opposed to it. No—we absolutely must not venture into that sector.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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