For decades, Soros’s moves were scrutinized, followed and sometimes even imagined by rival traders. Soros, who ran the Quantum Fund, one of the most successful hedge funds in history, traded stocks, bonds and currencies all over the world, becoming a pioneering ‘global macro’ investor. He built a fortune in the 1970 and 1980s making big bets that anticipated economic and political shifts.
Mere hints of what Soros might be doing affected global markets, even when they proved false. Governments criticized him as a speculator hurting economies. The accusations, often based on little evidence, tended to amplify Mr. Soros’s clout.