IN FEBRUARY it emerged that nearly half of the richest hedge-fund managers in Britain have donated a total of £10m ($14.8m) to the Conservative party since 2010. Labour, the opposition party, has accused the Tories of dishing out favours, such as a tax loophole, to their “hedge-fund friends”. Earlier this month it turned out that Labour too has relied on at least one very generous hedge-fund friend who has given the party nearly £600,000 since 2012. Hedge-fund managers are renowned for their investment skills and their wealth. But how do these “masters of the universe”, and the funds they control, really operate?
More from The Economist explains
What are the obligations of Israel and Hamas to protect civilians?
International Humanitarian Law creates obligations—but contains numerous caveats
Why is so much of the internet’s infrastructure run by volunteers?
Malware smuggled into XZ Utils software highlights a bigger problem
The growing role of fighting robots on the ground in Ukraine
Drones already fill the skies. Now uncrewed vehicles are heading to the front lines