[Poohbah]

Excellent clarification.

However, "speculation" is a necessary term of art--actively admitting that you're trying to manipulate national currencies is a great way to, for example, be declared an "Enemy of the Realm" by Her Majesty's Government (which he richly earned after crashing the pound in 1991).

[hchutch]

The clarification is essential, IMHO.

If I buy stock, I am betting the company is going to perform well, and thus increase the stock price. The only active involvement a speculator has is to buy the stock.

If I were to do with stocks what Soros does to currency, I'd sell short, and then I'd have a bunch of my buddies talk down the company just before it's time for me to buy back the stock I sold short.

The latter would get me some VERY long discussions with people from the Securities and Exchange Commission, and it could mean time in substandard federally subsidized housing facility.