RE: OT - Well, not really And this isn't the only market rigging that has taken place this past few years. The entire financial system has been rigged.
Gold and Silver has been rigged as well as most of the small to midsized companies listed on the various World stock markets. With the advent of HFT and manipulation within the big banks and brokers they have been able to knock value off the companies with a key stroke.
All you have to do is graph a chart of most mining companies and then graph another tech stock or medical stock etc. The ones I have checked all are graphing from the upper left to the lower right. Even if it is a small tech or junior miner with a great story.
The big bankers have learned how to effectively use the computer against the little guys and retail investors. All they have to do is keep buying and selling into the bids. They set the bids lower with each fill and this has been continuous for the past while. When they decide they have filled enough of their own portofolios with undervalued stocks, they will start buying little bits into all the asks. This will drive the prices up and when they figure they have stacked up enough profit they will sell most at the top, and the game will start all over again. Just my opinion of course.