What's your opinion of Ackman going on CNBC in March and announcing that the world was ending, right AFTER he set up a giant hedge to short a bunch of industries. There are articles from March 2020 you can find.

Regarding last week, what about the blocking of a number of symbols from being bought (but not sold) on retail platforms while the folks on the short side could unwind their positions? These were stocks with high short interest. How did Robinhood and IB and TD get the list, from analyzing Reddit in ML?

Anytime a money manager goes on TV they it’s pretty safe to assume they’re talking there book. Markets are the one place we’re talking can make it happen. And even though you should assume this, CNBC and Ackman perform the legal dance of warning that he may have long or short positions in any or all things discussed etc.

As to Robinhood, IB and TD, the Bloomberg reporting that DTCC (clearinghouse for trades) was demanding more collateral for the high volatility names and the retail brokers were facing a heard time coming up with it is pretty compelling. Unless someone can point to something other than innuendo, I’m probably gonna believe that.

Nope, the stated intention was to buy the shares before GME valuation rose from all the other factors listed. At many points the writer mentions it’s not a pump and dump, the stock’s fundamentals and management changes indicate it is undervalued, and the short interest creates a mechanical condition that will push it up to the “true” higher value - the writer mentions an intention to buy and hold, it will go up and stay high.

The redditors have absolutely broken no laws, in fact there is not the slightest whiff of any reason to even suggest they might have. It’s just anger from wealth classes for having been embarrassed.