[robertlagrant]

I may be misreading, but there are several non sequiturs there. Pulled offers suck, but no one owes anything before they sign a contract. There is a level of opportunity cost, but that's not the same thing. Signed offers are getting a month's salary I think, which again reduces it to opportunity cost rather than loss of wealth.

People being laid off is not lost wealth.

Speculative value is not wealth.

"Billions locked up" requires an explanation. People with money generally invest it in assets or other companies. Who is locking up billions? Why? Is it a meaningful % of the total money supply?