SEC Publishes Statement On Short Squeeze Insanity, “Will Protext Investors From Manipulative Trading”

It was only a matter of time before the SEC stepped in to “protect” investors from making money and ramming Wall Street’s own strategies up its behind, and moments ago the world’s most useless regulator published a statement in response to the short squeeze mania that has gripped markets.

The Commission said it will closely review actions taken by regulated entities that may disadvantage investors or otherwise unduly inhibit their ability to trade certain securities. Translation: any extreme shorts that hurt the hedge funds that are our close friends will likely soon be banned.

“We will act to protect retail investors when the facts demonstrate abusive or manipulative trading activity that is prohibited by the federal securities laws,” SEC Acting Chair Allison Herren Lee and Commissioners Hester M. Peirce, Elad L. Roisman and Caroline A. Crenshaw said in a statement on the commission’s website.

Market participants should be careful to avoid such activity and issuers must ensure compliance with the federal securities laws for any contemplated offers or sales of their own securities.

Here is the full statement, which is hilarious because after years of Wall Street selling worthless, massively overvalued IPOs to retail investors which always end up losing money when the bubble burst, is now so closely focused on the reverse situation, the one where Wall Street ends up being the patsy. Highlights ours.

Statement of Acting Chair Lee and Commissioners Peirce, Roisman, and Crenshaw Regarding Recent Market Volatility
Acting Chair Allison Herren Lee

Commissioner Hester M. Peirce
Commissioner Elad L. Roisman
Commissioner Caroline A. Crenshaw

Jan. 29, 2021

The Commission is closely monitoring and evaluating the extreme price volatility of certain stocks’ trading prices over the past several days. Our core market infrastructure has proven resilient under the weight of this week’s extraordinary trading volumes. Nevertheless, extreme stock price volatility has the potential to expose investors to rapid and severe losses and undermine market confidence.

As always, the Commission will work to protect investors, to maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and to facilitate capital formation. The Commission is working closely with our regulatory partners, both across the government and at FINRA and other self-regulatory organizations, including the stock exchanges, to ensure that regulated entities uphold their obligations to protect investors and to identify and pursue potential wrongdoing. The Commission will closely review actions taken by regulated entities that may disadvantage investors or otherwise unduly inhibit their ability to trade certain securities.

In addition, we will act to protect retail investors when the facts demonstrate abusive or manipulative trading activity that is prohibited by the federal securities laws. Market participants should be careful to avoid such activity. Likewise, issuers must ensure compliance with the federal securities laws for any contemplated offers or sales of their own securities.

The Commission will continue our work on behalf of investors and the markets. In this regard, we hope to facilitate a robust public dialogue among market participants and investors on the structure and operation of our securities markets. Members of the public can submit tips or complaints through the Commission’s website using this online form. Members of the public with questions should contact the Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy at 1-800-732-0330, ask a question using this online form, or email us at [email protected].