Hugh Hendry’s Slams Economist Jeffrey Sachs: I Would Recommend You Stop Going Skiing And Panic
Courtesy of Courtney Comstock of Clusterstock/Business Insider
The European banking system is in crisis, says Hendry.
"I would recommend you panic."
The hedge fund manager of Eclectica Management went on BBC Newsnight last night to play pessimist against Jeffrey Sachs, an economist from Columbia University.
Of course the two get into a fight. It’s awesome.
At first Hendry is talking quietly and his manner is worryingly subdued but wait just a minute. He starts going after Sachs at 2:38.
"When you bring on a professor and when you bring on a politician, they are unaccountable. Jeffrey’s wrong, you know what? He’ll survive and tenure. I’m wrong, I go bankrupt."
Then Jeffrey defends himself a little bit, says no one should jump to the conclusion that all is lost, and Hendry literally jumps on him. (4:50)
"I don’t know," says Hendry, "because, was Jeffrey skiing two months ago? I was working, Gillian (Tett, who was also on the show) was working. So we can tell you about the real world."
It’s so offensive that the host has to jump in and say, "Now that’s just a low blow."
(Meanwhile, Gillian Tett is loving this, grinning from ear to ear.)
Then Jeffrey, who doesn’t want to let some other guy fight his fight for him, warns Hendry:
"Please watch your language, it’s just ridiculous. Watch your rhetoric a little bit."
Seriously, says Hendry. It’s time to worry. Panic.
"Banks today are refusing to lend to each other. Bank share prices are collapsing. We have no ability to gauge the credit-worthiness of the banking system."
"I say, let’s purge this system of its rottenness," recommends Hendry. "Let’s take on a recession. It’s going to be tough. People are going to lose their jobs."
"The banking sector is responsible for gross folly," he says. The solution is just, "Don’t pay them. Don’t reward folly."
"We can spread this over 20 years or we can get rid of it over 3 years… You make a mistake, you pay for it."
Of course remember that Hendry is shorting the crap out of Greece and the European banking crisis. He’s a big proponent of speculation and shorting, so he hates bailouts and would love massive failure.
