Market manipulation is a deliberate attempt to interfere with the free and fair operation of the market and create artificial, false or misleading appearances with respect to the price of, or market for, a
security,
commodity or
currency. Market manipulation is prohibited in most countries, in particular, it is prohibited in the United States under Section 9(a)(2) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, in Australia under Section 1041A of the
Corporations Act 2001, and in
Israel under Section 54(a) of the securities act of 1968. The Act defines market manipulation as transactions which create an artificial price or maintain an artificial price for a tradeable security. Market manipulation is also prohibited for
wholesale electricity markets under Section 222 of the
Federal Power Act and
wholesale natural gas markets under Section 4A of the
Natural Gas Act.