I enjoyed reading the results of Trader Monthly's poll of 2500 traders. If ever there was a answer to why we need market regulators to level the playing field, Trader Monthly found it in the following questions:
"If you could parlay some insider info into a guaranteed $10 million trade but knew you stood a 50 percent chance of getting arrested for INSIDER TRADING, would you?
YES: 7%
If you could make that same $10 million trade but stood only a 10 PERCENT chance of getting arrested, would you?
YES: 28%
If you could make that same $10 million trade but stood NO CHANCE whatsoever of getting arrested, would you?
YES: 58%"
It would seem that the likelihood of being caught is a definite deterent. Makes me think the S.E.C. could use more funding.