"I note some conversation on this topic yesterday from which I gather that Adam works for a company in the shorting business. In a post-truth world of diminishing trust, I think it would be proper for him to disclose to all Hot Copper readers how much of his time he spends shorting Mesoblast - or to reassure us otherwise."
Working for an institution with a vested interest in a stock, and then posting loaded comments without full disclosure of that that conflict of interest, is presumably in direct contravention of HotCopper's terms and conditions. And I would be surprised if it is not downright illegal in terms of some of the rules of ASX, ASIC or the Corporations Law.
Certainly, all users of a stock discussion forum like HotCopper would surely feel that they are not entering into objective, bona fide discussion with other posters because those otehr posters are indeed posting with some hidden, ulterior motives.
Therefore, it is incumbent on any HotCopper member, if he/she believes there is unscrupulous activity at work on this forum, to report that to HotCopper administration, for starters.
And I don't think it should end there.
I think that the official regulatory authorities should also be notified.
So, if you - or anyone else - is of the view that I work for a company employed in the business of shorting stocks, and that I get paid for posting to somehow benefit such a company in whose employ I am alleged to be, then - instead of simply making that allegation on a stock thread - you should report that to the relevant authorities.
I repeat:
Don't complain about posters who you think are posting illegally; Report Them.
In this light, I do note that, over the years, I have been accused of the following:
1. Working for Macquarie Bank
2. Being related to Macquarie Bank's CEO (at one stage, he was allegedly my uncle)
3. Being Craig Collie himself
4. Being an author of a report on how to short biotech stocks
5. Being an agent of "Big Pharma"
6. Being a Teva employee
7. Being a short-seller myself of MSB stock
8. Bizarrely, by same same person who alleged that I was personally short MSB, on another occasion that I was the exact opposite of a shorter, i.e., someone who is long the stock and who talks it down so as to be able to buy more shares cheaply.
Like I say, if you - or anyone else - has concerns about my bona fides, then the best way for you to get to the bottom of it is to dispense with the niceties of making vague inferences about it in a cryptic post; and instead, to formalise your concerns.
"In a post-truth world of diminishing trust, I think it would be proper for him to disclose to all Hot Copper readers how much of his time he spends shorting Mesoblast - or to reassure us otherwise."
Serious question to you:
You call for assurance, so can you can you explain to me how I go about reassuring people of that I am not a shorter? (Or, for that matter, not one of the many other things that I am alleged to be?)
Because, in precisely the same vein, how does anyone posting on these threads provide assurances that they are, in fact, not a MSB employee?
MSB Price at posting:
$1.33 Sentiment: None Disclosure: Not Held
(20min delay)