Just for sh&ts and giggles let's play this through as if it is so.

Stock manipulation in small caps does occur. I believe that we are in an acquisition period and perhaps a spike down in SP will shake loose a few more cheap shares. If a more sophisticated trader is looking to accumulate more shares at a lower price, then I believe that same trader will want to see a substantial increase later.

My guess is a flurry of NRs are coming soon and with then a run-up similar to what we saw back in March. Just as we are perhaps somewhat too low now, we'll be too high later.

Prices always seem to overshoot in both directions. There is money to be made from this volatility for traders as opposed to the buy and hold types.

I personally don't like it so much but it is the way it is. I'll bet the largest proportion of the traders that play the games are doing so with OPM.