February 19, 2009
Dear Chairman:
Please implement these ideas to help restore confidence and stability to our financial markets.
1. Restore the Uptick Rule for short positions. A new TEN CENT up-tick rule is needed for modern electronic trading techniques. The Uptick Rule served our markets very well for many decades until the SEC removed it approximately one year ago.
2. All types of market transactions should go through an established exchange, such as the NYSE. This will help restore more transparency, fairness, investor confidence, liquidity and help reduce fraud. Dark pool trading should only be allowed on an exchange with a floor, or should not be allowed at all.
3. Protect the viability of the NYSE. The NYSE is an important part of the market structure and confidence in the USA markets. Prohibit trading desks from starting upstart or "non profitable exchanges" for their own use and prohibit all upstart exchanges. Trading rules should be adjusted to favor the NYSE.
4. Establish more rules for market analysts and their firms. Stock analysts currently have too much control over daily and weekly price movements and their firms can easily manipulate the current system. Stock analysts should only be allowed to give estimates / stock gradings once a quarter and their firms should be prohibited from trading around estimates, upgrades, downgrades.
Sincerely, Mike