RE:RE:RE:Fighting the ShortsFighting the shorts can be a never ending let alone a losing battle. Many a company have been brought to their knees due to short selling even though revenues continue to increase (eg. BTE on the TSX)
As was posted earlier by retiredcf, short positions have doubled in the first half of February even though oil prices have gone up.
The stock market criminals will continue to take down whatever stock they like. Since stock markets are in the business of helping companies raise money, they have rules in place to help maintain an upward bias in the stock market. One such rule is the "uptick rule" where you can sell a stock short only when the last trade was a move up. You can't short a stock that's moving down.
So, if you look at SPE chart, many uptick trades of 100 shares at a time allow for the short selling of this and any stock for any subsequent trades.
Conclusion...short selling (and covering) is up to the discretion of the manipulators and will continue to go on regardless of oil price.
All we can do is hang in there, ride their coat tails and pick up some crumbs that are left along the way.
Just my opinion (and I hope I'm wrong)......