The Doctrinal Quandary of Manipulative Practices in Securities Markets: Artificial Pricing, Price Discovery, and Liquidity Provision
Journal of Corporation Law, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 1-64, 2019
64 Pages Posted: 24 Aug 2019 Last revised: 6 Apr 2020
Date Written: November 5, 2019
Abstract
This Article sketches a frame of analysis for the doctrinal quandary of manipulative practices in securities markets, drawing on the historical origins of the concept of market manipulation and the realities of the modern electronic marketplace. The essence of market manipulation is maintained to be in artificial pricing based on market activity, as opposed to other indicia of “artificiality,” and this definitional approach is compared and contrasted to the process of price discovery and liquidity provision. The Article addresses several key themes relevant for today’s securities markets, such as the phenomenon of exploratory trading, market making and the role played by market makers, the doctrine of open market manipulation, spoofing / layering and disruptive trading, and the implications of the market structure crisis.
Keywords: market manipulation, artificial pricing, price discovery, liquidity provision, spoofing / layering, market structure crisis
JEL Classification: G18, K22
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation