May 9, 2009
I think the uptick rule needs to be re-instated.
Government makes policy for reasons identified at the time it makes the policy. Unfortunately, instead of demanding a reason for change, most Government units simply pend for political reasons, rather than need or reason. This particular rule was put into place for a very particular reason, and was removed for a very different reason without much though as to the consequences. Years later, we are now feeling the effect of those consequences, i.e. Corruption, Greed, etc.
Government is put into place to protect the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Capitalism is a very effective methodology for growth and prosperity, provided the free market principles are followed. In this day and age, corruption and corporate greed dominate individual government inputs through excessive funding guised as free speach and in many cases result in Government overlooking the very people it was placed in charge to protect.
The uptick rule assist in a small way to prevent materialistic control of the market through large amounts of currency flow. i.e. the driving of markets down by major investors who could care less about the underlying stocks and the cause/effect of the push. These large players are only concerned with personal gain, even at the expense of others which may be faulted by flawed system processes. A good example would be a few months back when a major downturn in stocks happened almost automatically when news reports triggered some automated systems and caused some stocks to be severely lessened in value in a matter of hours.
In short, this rule is integral and necessary to prevent greed and corruption from overtaking the normal day to day routine of stock trading by forcing an otherwise good stock into a decline solely for the purpose of making profit from the decline rather than from a devaluation of the stock itself.
Thanks for listening,
An individual investor