Hardy smacked his lips.
"This is quite a broad topic. I'm not sure where to begin."
"Then let's start with the economy. After all, we're both businessn. How do you view the future of Arica's economy?" David inquired.
Hardy paused for a mont, both to organize his thoughts and to decide how much he should reveal. He held the advantage of foresight but couldn't disclose everything. However, he could share so of his insights into future developnts.
"Prosperity, without a doubt," Hardy began.
"We won World War II, and although Britain and France were victors as well, they lost a lot in the process, which will accelerate their decline. Even though the British are aware of this, they won't be able to stop it. Arica is destined to beco the new world hegemon."
"As for the economy, we're about to enter a golden age of growth. Right now, the U.S. is the world's factory, producing more than half of all industrial and consur goods worldwide. Exports will grow rapidly, and this will drive the value of other sectors, like banking, insurance, and even entertainnt."
At this point, Hardy glanced at David and smiled. "My Hardy Group is relatively new, without the foundation that families like Rockefeller or DuPont have built over ti. You've risen through real industry, and I can't compete with you in that area. So, I had to carve out a different path."
David nodded in agreent.
"You foresee export growth, so you've been acquiring shipping companies to earn profits from the middle of the supply chain."
"It seems like your investnts revolve around this idea—shipping, banking, and the entertainnt industry."
"What other sectors do you see thriving in the future?" David asked.
Hardy smiled and replied, "If we're talking about the most profitable industries in the future, it has to be oil. Cars will beco widespread, and cruise ships will need fuel. Oil will continue to be a necessity."
"And there's petrochemical products. There are already many valuable innovations in that field, and there will only be more in the future. So, the oil industry will keep making money. In terms of oil, no one can match the Rockefellers."
David looked at Hardy and gave a slight nod.
His family had co to the sa conclusion long ago, which is why they continued to invest heavily in the oil industry. This ti, during the European inspection tour, Rockefeller's primary focus was on the oil industries of various countries. They had already signed agreents with several nations, covering oil supply, refining, storage, and the petrochemical industry.
"What about other industries? What else do you think will do well?"
"The automotive industry is bound to thrive, and the steel industry will boom because post-war reconstruction and the growth of the automotive sector will drive steel demand. Rubber will also do well, thanks to the demand for tires. And with more cars, we'll need more roads, so asphalt will be in high demand."
At this point, Hardy turned to David and said, "Actually, I've set up a small oil company myself. It's quite modest—just a single well. I've sent a team to the Middle East to search for more oil, but I'm not sure what the outco will be. Mr. Rockefeller, if my oil company ever wants to expand, we'll probably need help from your family."
The Rockefellers practically monopolized the U.S. oil industry, and Hardy's Western Oil Company wouldn't be able to bypass them.
It would be better to cooperate than to compete.
Moreover, Hardy had already established a cooperative relationship with the Rockefeller family through their dealings with HSBC. Future collaboration in the oil industry seed likely.
David smiled. "Of course, that's no problem. When it cos to oil, the Rockefellers can definitely help. We have the world's best drilling technology, refining techniques, and many oil tankers. We can work together in those areas."
"Not just oil—we could collaborate on many things. For instance, your HD Security Company. It's now the largest security firm in the U.S. I'm interested in bringing it into Manhattan Bank when I return."
"That would be great," Hardy replied with a smile.
At this point, David shifted the conversation. "Hardy, I'm curious about your political leanings. Are you more inclined towards the Democratic Party?"
He asked this because Hardy had supported Johnson in the last election.
Hardy smiled and shook his head.
"No, I never align myself with a particular party. I'm just an investor—I invest where I see potential. I don't think capital should be tied down by political ideology."
"At the ti, it was purely by chance that Johnson reached out to for help. He wanted to run a TV campaign to promote himself. Given the situation at the ti, I should have supported Dewey, as California is a Republican stronghold. But the return on investnt from supporting Dewey was minimal, almost nonexistent. After careful consideration, I chose to support Johnson."
David chuckled.
It seed his suspicions were correct. Hardy hadn't supported Johnson for any ideological reason.
"So it was a gamble?"
"Exactly, a gamble—and fortunately, I won," Hardy said with a laugh.
"That shows your skill. Many people were surprised by the election result, but you played a decisive role. It was a very successful investnt," David comnted.
Indeed.
If Hardy hadn't successfully invested in Johnson, his HD Security wouldn't have collaborated with the Departnt of Defense to establish a defense company, and he wouldn't have gained access to warships and fighter jets.
Nor would he have had this European inspection tour.
Although Hardy's investnts appeared to be limited to banking, shipping, and luxury goods, and seed smaller than those of other conglorates, he knew that if he managed these sectors well, his future wealth would reach the hundreds of billions, or even trillions.
Wells Fargo had made great strides during this inspection tour. It now covered the entire U.S. and had branches in multiple European countries. Acquiring HSBC, a bank deeply rooted in Asia, had elevated Wells Fargo into a major international bank.
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