> You're being very unspecific about who these "speculators" are, and lumping a huge group of people and companies into one bucket.

Generalizing the evil "speculators" without calling out specific sub-groups or behaviors was exactly what the OP did and why I was pointing out the reason we tolerate and encourage speculation in the first place.

>but saying that everyone should be absolved of wrong-doing just because the sector as a whole provides some benefit is equally ill-judged.

I certainly didn't say that or even mean to imply it if that's how you read it.