prispåverkning

Prispåverkning refers to any action taken by a company or individual to influence the price of a security. This can involve a variety of methods, some of which are legal and others which are considered market manipulation and are therefore illegal. The goal of prispåverkning is typically to create a false or misleading impression of the price or value of a security, thereby inducing others to buy or sell.

One common form of legal prispåverkning is through legitimate advertising and public relations efforts. Companies can highlight positive news, financial results, or future prospects to generate investor interest, which can naturally lead to an increased demand and thus a higher stock price. Analysts' reports and recommendations can also influence prices, as investors often rely on expert opinions.

However, illegal prispåverkning, or market manipulation, involves deceptive practices. Examples include "pump-and-dump" schemes, where perpetrators artificially inflate the price of a thinly traded stock through false and misleading positive statements, and then sell their own holdings at the inflated price. Another tactic is "wash trading," which involves simultaneously buying and selling the same financial instrument to create misleading activity and artificially affect the price. Spreading rumors or false information about a company or its securities can also be a form of illegal prispåverkning. Regulatory bodies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States monitor markets to detect and prosecute such manipulative activities, as they undermine market integrity and can harm investors.