Unfortunately, market manipulation is a serious problem that requires careful and regulatory efforts to prevent. Here are some of the strategies that may be used in trading to manipulate market prices for improper gain: 1. Wash Trading: A trader creates artificial trading activity in the market through buys and sells to create the illusion of an increase or decrease in value. This can deceive other investors and affect market prices. 2. Leading: Leaking false or misleading information to influence market sentiment and manipulate market prices. Leading can be spread through social media, online forums, or other channels. 3. Market Order Manipulation: Manipulating market prices by placing small buy and sell orders on trading platforms. These orders are designed to affect market prices rather than actually trade. 4. High Frequency Trading (HFT) Manipulation: Using algorithms to execute large numbers of trades quickly to manipulate market prices. This can include Flash Crashes, where large amounts of securities are sold to create an artificial drop in price. 5. (Duration) Horizontal Manipulation: Manipulating the value of a particular security or commodity by executing strategic buy and sell actions. For example, buying a large number of futures contracts to influence the value and then selling them for a profit. 6. **Market Maker Manipulation**: Taking advantage of the role of market makers in trading to manipulate market prices by managing order books, setting prices, and executing lucrative trades. 7. **Deliberate Bankruptcy**: Making a company or investor Faces bankruptcy by trading in large volumes or manipulating market prices. The perpetrator can then profit from the bankruptcy or purchase assets of the bankrupt's assets. 8. **Deceptive Market Practices**: Deceiving other investors by executing deceptive trades or spreading false information. This can include **Reverse Cross Trades**, where a trader buys a security in one account, sells the same security in another account, and claims a loss to avoid taxes. 9. **Knock-knock scams**: Selling a security or commodity when the price is low and then immediately buying the same security back at a higher price to create the illusion of demand and manipulate prices. 10. **Pool Operation**: Coordinating a group of traders to manipulate the market price of a security or commodity. The group can influence market prices by trading with each other and coordinating with each other. 11. **Short Attack**: Destroying the reputation of a company or investor by spreading negative information or manipulating market prices. This can be used to reduce competition or create favorable conditions for a takeover. 12. **Stock market diving**: Similar to knock-on scams, but securities are sold when prices are high and then bought back at a lower price to create the illusion of oversupply and manipulate prices. It is important to note that these strategies are generally illegal and can result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment. In addition, market regulators, such as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), have implemented various measures to detect and prevent market manipulation. It is also important to note that while these strategies may be used to manipulate market prices, they generally do not provide benefits on a sustainable basis and can cause potential harm to the market as a whole. Responsible and legal trading practices are essential to maintaining fair and efficient markets.