RE: Shorts are up30 Jan 2021 10:34
I think we're saying the same thing but calling it different names. I see no evidence of an increase in significant shorts, but I do see sustained downward pressure in a morning before the US open. Rather than short bots I'm calling them HFT bots that are coordinated to lower the SP and pressure weak holders to sell, further putting downward pressure on the SP. With each transaction comprising both a buy and a sell those can be held and transferred to the US now and after results creating a profitable large scale arbitrage, especially if the fruits of past increased deployments are coming through. On results the HFT bots change direction and then all the traders jump on the momentum and the HFT operators who've engineered the fall/movement of equity profit greatly. That's what I'd have done anyway if I had the funds and ability. Transfer to another account (automated by HFT bot) is easy and doesn't have to be reported so long as under thresholds, moving to another jurisdiction I really don't know about and wondered if others here knew a thing of the mechanics.
Although my holding is modest relative to some here it still comprises c. 35% at current SP (and still above my average, although not by much) of my portfolio so definitely has the ability to hinder my reasoning.