active "bot"???, page-24

G'day Mav. That would suggest that "the money on the sidelines" is waiting for Halifax-1 to be drilled and results announced BEFORE that money comes in?
Suggesting that that money does not ANTICIPATE that Halifax-1 will replicate Encounter and Holdfast in 218 and it might be another ICN duster?
With respect, I doubt that. Four of the Top 20 increased their holdings by nearly 3 millon shares in the month to 20 July, yet the SP is held grounded around 20.5 and 21.5 when we are just a day or so before the spudding of the well that could (should) turn the fortunes of ICN and reinforce those of BPT. That is contrary to everything we have known previously when following oil/gas exploration companies.
Mav, my post is not about the fortunes or history of ICN, it is just about the unfair impact of algorythmic trading (robotic trading, "bots", whatever you like to call it)and how it totally distorts markets and destroys that so called level playing field that the ASX is supposed to maintain.
It is destroying the confidence in the ASX!!!
It is particularly damaging when they enter small cap companies, with relatively small volume turnover and effectively control the SP and stifle buying. Who in their right mind wants to risk their hard earned and buy shares in those companies just to see any rise creamed off by a robot belonging to a professional punter?

You "should" be right when you say that results will generate a spike in the SP, that surely would happen, but, with algorythmic trading now in our market, ANYTHING could happen and that is my point, they create great uncertainty and markets don't want or need that type of artificial uncertainty when there is so much "fundamental" uncertainty overall. That is why $500 billion has been pulled out of the U.S equity market in the last few years and $750 billion put into negative returning government bonds.
Let's see what happens, totally unpredictable in my view, that is why I have a current sentiment of "none".