The Financier Who Changed Markets

This chapter explores the life of financier George Soros, detailing his rise to prominence during World War II in Hungary and his strategic moves in the UK financial landscape. It emphasizes his legendary bet against the British pound and introduces the concept of reflexivity, showcasing its implications on market dynamics and his role in the 2008 financial crisis.

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In today’s episode, Shawn O’Malley (@Shawn_OMalley_) discusses The Alchemy of Finance by George Soros. George Soros is a controversial political figure, but he is a legend on Wall Street. Many know him as the man who “broke the Bank of England” for his epic short bets against the British pound that broke its currency peg. Soros’s hedge fund is among the best performing ever, generating billions of dollars in wealth and giving rise to a number of Soros’s protégés who would make their own names for themselves.

You’ll learn about Soros’s life growing up in Nazi-occupied Hungary, how he went from immigrant to hedge fund titan, why philosophy and abstract thinking were critical to Soros’s success, Soros’s unique theory on investing called Reflexivity and how it has helped him throughout his career, which shortcomings Soros identified in markets, how he used reflexivity to profit from a boom in conglomerates, plus so much more!

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IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN

00:00 - Intro

02:18 - What it was like for George Soros growing up in Nazi-occupied Hungary

03:15 - How Soros went from immigrant to hedge fund titan

10:01 - What is reflexivity, and how did Soros use it

12:16 - Why markets are a place to test hypotheses

24:30 - Why Soros thinks free markets have shortcomings

26:33 - What value investors miss about reflexivity and stock prices

29:45 - How Soros profited from a boom in conglomerates using reflexivity

32:06 - What causes reversals in markets

And much, much more!

*Disclaimer: Slight timestamp discrepancies may occur due to podcast platform differences.

BOOKS AND RESOURCES

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George Soros's book, The Alchemy of Finance.
George Soros's book, Soros on Soros: Staying Ahead of the Curve.
George Soros’s wiki.
How Soros broke the Bank of England.
Check out the books mentioned in the podcast here.
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