June 2, 2010
The recent Market crash cause has not been discovered. A robust up-tick rule would have helped mitigate this near calamity. The SEC should require daily Short Sales volume in listed stocks be reported separately from regular Sales Volume. Selling a stock short that has not been truly hard borrowed or delivered is like counting the Shares twice. It's the ultimate dilutant. Momentum selling exploits minute market direction changes and exploits it. These are the main ways the Large Players manipulate the market to the detriment of regular investors. Individuals invest in stocks to participate in the growth and appreciation in the value of the stock of a listed company over time. These people are fleeced by the large Traders who treat all stocks like one roll-of-the-dice in a crap game. Short Selling is the primary practice that is destroying investor confidence. Put Options allow hedging for legitimate reasons. Short Selling must be regulated or the Market will never function for it's designed pupose. The Market now functions like a Casino for the major exchanges and partcipants. It's supposed to allow investors to provide Capital for Companies to grow and prosper. The SEC has not done their job, because they have forgotten who they work for. Read your Mandate regarding the level playing field for all investors and then do your Job --- Regulate to control Leverage, provide Transparancy, and put in an Up-Tick Rule that really works.