Sheesh - this is one of my blue chip, bottom drawer stocks.But...

Sheesh - this is one of my blue chip, bottom drawer stocks.

But today's bot trading is very much on the nose - loads of tiny cross-trades (computer A trading with computer B) as the bots walk the price down. And a lot of non-cross trades as well, but 13, 14 or 19 shares, etc. And all walking the price down in steps.

Now I wouldn't be allowed to do this across a spread like the one on TOX, so how come brokers are allowed to do it? Not the bot trading per se (although that stinks anyway) but the crossing of the spread by tiny trades to manipulate the price?