The Financial Post reports in its Wednesday edition that speculator George Soros is not waiting around to see if this year's surge in gold-mining shares will last. The unbylined item says Soros Fund Management LLC, which took a $263.7-million stake in Barrick Gold in the first quarter, cut its holdings in the world's biggest producer of the metal by 94 per cent in the ensuing three months (all figures U.S.). After climbing 169 per cent in the first half, its best-ever performance for the period, Barrick shares have slipped from a three-year high reached last month. In the first quarter, funds that included Mr. Soros bought a combined 58 million shares in Barrick, taking their total holdings to 670 million shares. Barrick, Mr. Soros's biggest holding in the first quarter, was the investor's biggest sale in the second quarter. The holdings in Barrick slumped by 18.35 million shares to 1.07 million shares. Barrick shares traded between $17.81 and $21.35 in New York during the quarter and closed Tuesday at $21.32.