etr, I know you're not serious, but there is a minor issue. not...

etr, I know you're not serious, but there is a minor issue. not selling won't solve manipulating the bid-offer table. this is what moves the price down in the absense of buy side volume, and they know this. buyer exhaustion is when prices can drop the sharpest, holding stock allows you to sell to yourself in the absense of naked selling.

watching a few of the well known shorters (those who buy stock to lend) it is when the table is the thinnest that it is easiest and cheapest to operate boths sides of the bid-offer. It seems to take less than 5% holding to benefit from a short stragtegy on light volume.

yes it's supposed to be illegal, yes they should be restricted/fined/convicted. but under the disguise offered to broker/dealers, they can represent both buy side and sell side clients. mixing trade/prop desks is the norm for these organisations that hit both ways.

that and any pact in itself is collusion. better to pool funds and become a broker/dealer/agent/maker.

it makes for better technical analysis that's for sure.