May 5, 2009
I am very concerned about my "investments" in the stock market since I have recently realized I am "betting on" and not investing in American companies. If a hedge fund decides to take down a company no matter how solid, it'll happen. I now realize I am taking a huge risk with my life savings every time I buy a stock. This is very unsettling and has health implications/risks for me.
Due to the lack of regulation in the art of short selling, I question whether I shouldn't simply invest in Las Vegas Sands, MGM and Wynn as many other investors have recently done. I was not aware that our stock market was a gambling institution, however, I see very little difference in light of the "action" in the market since 2007 when the uptick rules were dissolved. It seems obvious that short selling is not only unnecessary in a healthy market but detrimental to the ordinary investor and the market in general. I think it's fine to bet that a stock will plummet if done in Vegas where it is legal to gamble.
What happened to investing in companies and providing capital for daily operations and/or expansion. Isn't that the original idea behind the stock market? What happened? Please put the brakes on the gambling. It should be illegal instead of sanctioned by the SEC. Reinstate the uptick rule and insist that short sellers can't spread unwarranted rumours. Insider trading isn't allowed, so why can hedge funds employ many of the same tactics to control the market? Let's get some regulations in place so we can "invest" again.
Most sincerely,
Kim Kuhs