[BobbyT]

I love this “blame the speculators” BS. The whole point of a financial market is that everyone sees the exact same bid & offer.

Any price a “speculator” can buy you can too, and the same for any price he can sell. In fact, you have the advantage because he needs to move more contracts so you can find liquidity when he can’t. There is no evil black magic he can use to change these facts...he makes money at the same risk, he’s just better at it.

I can’t stand hearing people whine about “manipulation”, because if you really know better where the price should be than the thousands upon thousands of people whose job is based on accurate pricing then there’s nothing stopping you from putting your money where your mouth is and making a killing.

In fact if you’re confident enough in your opinion, leverage in the futures markets will let you make not only enough to more than cancel out whatever you pay (or have paid) to fill your tank, but enough to retire a hundred times over.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Of course, speculators do not always win, as evidenced by big name investment banks going under or begging for new capital injection these days.

It is the bubble it creates.

[JasonC]

If someone sells at the market price tomorrow, 5 times more shares of a major bank than exist, what will the stock close at?

Will anybody panic?

Ordinary speculation is fine. Naked shorting without first borrowing the shares isn't.

Everyone said it was important, not enough of it happening, won't make a difference. Then the SEC issued a letter, and stocks that were down 80% in six months moved 30% in a day.

Those engaged in this sort of thing are not few, are not capitalists trying to make an honest living, and are not friends of the United States.

Please wake up. We are at war.