Quote from libertad:
By the way....has it been mentioned exactly what instruments were utilized by Paulson and Soros....and "how" they were utilized ?
Once this is understood by the public....there just might be some
fast reputational changes....
Great question, Libertad. Soros various, and there are references to some of his trades in these posts.
Paulson is also various, but it was well-explained in Tavakoli's books that he shorted the credit derivatives index linked to securitizations backed primarily by second liens. She even describes her clients waiting for that trade to pay-off in Nov of 2006 in her Structured Finance book, and gives it fast treatment in her new book with Buffett in the title, but mentions Paulson trying to stop Bear Stearns from changing credit derivatives language that would have hurt his trades. She also explains a lot of other stuff that caused the Bear funds to implode and then Bear itself. Paulson was a former Bear Stearns guy, so it is interesting that Paulson was suspicious. His first big short was probably the ABX.HE 06-2 BBB-. According to Tavakoli's book for pros: "referencing BBB- tranches of 20 various home equity loan asset backed deals."
Those 20 deals backing the asset backed securities were scattered around different I-banks. As that came more and more in the money she explains how hedge funds shifted to higher rated stuff that was slipping in value. Now seems he's looking at distressed assets since pricing is a mess, and people who know what they are doing can find stuff that is underpriced.