donedeal, if bots are there at all, it means that an institution...

donedeal, if bots are there at all, it means that an institution is simply "up to something"... it is usually hard to tell what exactly. Buying up, selling down, marking time, or whatever they happen to desire at the time. It is never easy to work out what their aim is by simply looking at buy/sell stacks, volumes traded, etc in the short term. (That is part of the purpose of them too, to conceal the strategies they run.)

I have read many comments from people on HC about bots. People do not seem to understand (or believe) what bots are used for by the larger end of town. Although they are automated, they are still programmed by very clever humans (and as automated systems in themselves are extremely "clever" also). They are set to task with a purpose (often by less "clever" humans ?? lol) ... to do whatever specific trading "work" is needed. Long term, medium term and/or short term (as a separate strategy, or all at the same time as a linked strategy).)

This link has been posted before, but for your interest, this info might be useful as a basic intro on the subject...

http://www.ftknowledge.com/pma/brochures/Trading%20with%20the%20help%20of%20guerrillas%20and%20snipers.pdf