When the Moon Hits Your Eye

BancUsonia’s executive board meets under looming uncertainty. CEO Randolph Klein asks if customers have begun withdrawing funds en masse. The chief financial officer explains that the leak of the Chinese Paper over the weekend, when branches are closed or operating at limited hours, has delayed the anticipated panic. However, every financial institution expects mass withdrawals soon. Isabel Hutchinson, head of the Private Banking Division, assures the board that high-net-worth clients have not yet moved their money, though the bank’s Washington, DC, liaison confirms that the Boone administration will not intervene. According to the White House, any aid to the financial sector would only spark public alarm.

Dana Gibbs from Consumer Credit reports an uptick in credit activity since the moon changed. Klein proposes a plan: Offer customers trying to close accounts a $40,000 credit line with a low introductory APR (annual percentage rate) for two years. Cliff Williams from Regional Banking voices concern about defaults once the APR increases, but Gibbs counters that they already sell the debt to private equity, making it someone else’s risk. The legal team confirms minimal liability.

John Bell from Wealth Management warns that investor sentiment is shifting. People will begin to abandon work, not just their portfolios.