2008 Société Générale trading loss 2008 Société Générale trading loss In January 2008, the bank Société Générale lost approximately €4.9 billion closing out positions over three days of trading beginning January 21, 2008, a period in which the market was experiencing a large drop in equity indices. The bank states these positions were fraudulent transactions created by Jérôme Kerviel, a trader with the company. The police stated they lacked evidence to charge him with fraud and charged him with breach of trust and illegally accessing computers. Kerviel states his actions were known to his superiors and that the losses were caused by panic selling by
Michael Marcus (trader) Michael Marcus (trader) Michael Marcus is a commodities trader who, in less than 20 years, is reputed to have turned his initial $30,000 into $80 million. Marcus began his trading career in 1972, when he bought plywood futures with his life savings of $7000. In the summer of 1972 President Richard Nixon froze prices of some commodities, but the futures contracts rallied sharply, increasing Marcus' stake from $700 into $12,000. In 1973 he turned $24,000 into $64,000. He also used Freight derivatives. Marcus learned money management from Ed Seykota, whom he met while working as an analyst. He was a