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The investment strategy Bill Gross took to become the Bond King : Planet Money : The Indicator from Planet Money Bill Gross is a retired investor known for creating and dominating the bond market. But what exactly made him so successful? Today, we talk to Aaron Brown, who created a mock portfolio to unpack the success of the Bond King.

The Indicator from Planet Money

Beating the bond market: Luck or skill?

Beating the bond market: Luck or skill?

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Bill Gross, co-founder of Pacific Investment Management Co. (PIMCO), speaks during the Bloomberg FI16 event in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Gross says he's satisfied with the performance of his Janus Global Unconstrained Bond Fund and plans to continue managing money for a long time. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bill Gross, co-founder of Pacific Investment Management Co. (PIMCO), speaks during the Bloomberg FI16 event in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Gross says he's satisfied with the performance of his Janus Global Unconstrained Bond Fund and plans to continue managing money for a long time. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg via Getty Images

In 2019, PIMCO founder and legendary investor Bill Gross retired. His track record had earned him a reputation as the "Bond King," and people all over the finance world listened to his market calls. A big question over his tenure, though, was whether his performance was due to luck or expertise. Author Aaron Brown wanted to know the answer, so he created a "mechanical Bill Gross" to figure out just how skilled Bill Gross was as an investor.

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