Over the past week AWX has squeezed up from $2 to $18 without any news catalyst. This is nothing new right? We see manipulation all the time with penny stocks. But what really makes this manipulation unique is that it's being done by a brokerage firm. Mintbroker International released an SEC filing that they purchased over 1.9 million shares of AWX. Mintbrokers International owns Suretrader. I've heard that Suretrader has had borrows available all week on AWX. They're essentially creating a huge short squeeze and screwing over their own clients. I don't see how it's legal for a brokerage firm to do this. They have access to info the general public doesn't have access to. You wouldn't think they would be able to create blatant manipulation like this. It will be interesting to see if this ends up halted like LFIN. I'm glad now that I've never used Suretrader. They seem extremely shady.
LS1Z28, I do not know anything about AWX that you can't read online. AWX is a NYSEAMEX listing. You can contact the NYSE and ask them if the stock is being investigated in any way. They might or might not tell you, but it seem to be your only avenue of complaint. https://www.nyse.com/regulation/complaints-and-inquiries
I appreciate the info. I'm not involved in the stock in any way. I just came across a youtube video about it and a bunch of other people were talking about Suretrader. I know that manipulation happens all the time. It just blew me away to see it coming from a broker. I bet Lightspeed would never do anything like this.
Suretrader is a Bahamas firm that isn't even allowed to take U.S. customers. They aren't a "brokerage firm", they're a bucket shop. So first, there should be no surprise and no outrage that they're behaving like a bucket shop. Second, it actually makes sense that a bucket shop that was counterparty to their customer's trades would take a position in the actual market to offset that, which is probably what's going on here. Either way, given Suretrader's well published history as an SEC honeypot you're just a moron to trade with them!
I don't trade with them. They aren't allowed to advertise in the US, but most of their client base is made up of US traders seeking to avoid the PDT rule. I believe they offer 6:1 margin an any account over $500. I did a little bit of digging and this is what I came up with; 1. Guy Gentile founded both Suretrader & Speedtrader. 2. Mintbrokers International is listed as another name for Suretrader on their website. 3. Mintbrokers International is listed as 10% owner of; GBR, MTSL, & AWX. All of those stocks have seen phantom momentum over the past few weeks without any sort of news catalyst. 4. Guy Gentile has been investigated before for penny stock manipulation. It sure looks like Mintbrokers International / Suretrader / Speedtrader have been manipulating GBR, MTSL, & AWX over the past few weeks. It will be interesting to see how AWX plays out the next week.
AWX closed at $10.25 on Friday. Its trading at $33.75 now. Avalon Holdings Corporation provides waste management services to industrial, commercial, municipal, and governmental customers in the United States. It operates through Waste Management Services, and Golf and Related Operations segments. The Waste Management Services segment offers hazardous and nonhazardous waste disposal brokerage and management services; and captive landfill management services, as well as engages in salt water injection well operations. This segment also provides turnkey services, including daily operations, facilities management, and management reporting; and sells construction mats. The Golf and Related Operations segment operates and manages three golf courses and related clubhouses, a hotel, and a travel agency. Its golf and country club facilities provide swimming pools, fitness centers, tennis courts, dining, and banquet and conference facilities, as well as spa services. The company also owns and operates hotel under the brand of The Avalon Inn, which provides various facilities, such as swimming pool, fitness center, rooms, restaurants, bars, banquet, and conference facilities, as well as adjoining tennis center. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Warren, Ohio.
AWX ran up to $36 pre-market before fading all the way down to $6 at the close. It dropped over 80% in a single day! This is the largest pump and dump I've seen in a long time.
Holy cow.... I didn't watch it other than a pre-market glance. If they throw out another stock... let us know. I gotta think somebody is going to jail on this one. Maybe not. SoesWasBetter would have loved this one. May he RIP.