RE:what has happened to acb boardHere is my glass half full response. Others may disagree.
Trading in ACB during this past week has been statistically low. The stock is trading in unison with the sector. In general US banks have been selling the sector while Canadian banks have been buying the sector.
US banks have traded large blocks of shares. The shares that comprise these trades are negotiated in advance and not part of the open outcry process. Terms of these trades nonetheless have an effect on market price. My guess is that the last minute level of the block trades in advance of Monday's earnings bodes well as it could mean investors wish to load up on the stock as cheaply as they can.
Bad news is typically reserved for Friday after markets close. The fact that earnings will be released before the market opens Monday I believe is intentional and is designed for maximum impact. If good news, markets will react favorably giving little time for shorts to negotiate out of positions. Convesely, if earnings are not great, it will send a negative signal to the entire sector and we can expect another shock to the stock price.
From my perspective, this earnings release is critical to determining the liklihood of investors continuing to invest in this sector.