[Pietro]

The big money boys at the exec level use corp funds to buy back stocks, raising the stock price and then cash in their options at a higher rate.

They can make a lot of money for themselves that way.

[expat_panama]

They can make a lot of money

That's good isn't it? I mean, you work hard to figure out what folks need, you get it and sell it in the market, you get rich. What's not to like?

[JohnnyP]

They can STEAL a lot of money that way.

[expat_panama]

...companies’ stocks soar when layoffs are announced...

--and the evil exploiting oligarchy needs to be destroyed so we can have a worker's paradise? 

Actually there really is a connection between stock prices and employment.  People put money into companies. The companies use the money to hire employees so they can turn profits and pay dividends to the investors.  When econ outlook looks bad folks sell their stocks right away and layoffs begin.   It's so predictable that most folks say for measuring econ activity stock prices are a leading indicator and payrolls are a lagging indicator.

[expat_panama]

...boys at the exec level use corp funds to buy back stocks, raising the stock price and then cash in their options...

Been thinking that this can in fact happen temporarily and would involve breaking a lot of laws.  Maybe we want to say that you don't know for sure this has actually happened.  The reason is that if you do know for sure it's happened and you haven't reported it then as I understand it you'd also be committing a felony as an accessory after the fact.