7 Breathtaking Twists Inside the Rogue Trader's Saga That Shattered Barings Bank

3. The Turning Point - The 1995 Kobe Earthquake

The 1995 Kobe earthquake marked the turning point in Leeson’s story. His risky investments in the Nikkei, Japan’s stock market index, backfired after the earthquake caused the market to crash. This section explains how the disaster exposed Leeson’s risky trades and the drastic measures he took to cover up his growing losses. Following the earthquake, the Nikkei plummeted, leading to losses of over £500 million in just one day for Leeson. In a desperate attempt to recover the losses, he made even riskier trades. His actions mirrored that of a gambler chasing losses, hoping for a massive win but digging himself deeper into trouble.