The question of whether the stock market is “rigged” is a topic of much debate and speculation. While the stock market is regulated by various agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States, there are instances of market manipulation, insider trading, and other unethical practices that have been uncovered over the years.
However, it’s important to note that these are generally considered to be exceptions rather than the rule. The vast majority of trading is conducted fairly, and many investors—both individual and institutional—have been able to earn returns through market participation.
That said, institutional investors and hedge funds do have advantages like faster access to information, more sophisticated trading tools, and the ability to influence the market in ways that individual retail investors cannot. This has led some to argue that the playing field is not entirely level.
So, while the market is not “rigged” in the sense that outcomes are predetermined or that it’s impossible for individual investors to make money, there are certainly imbalances that exist and the markets can be manipulated but probably not outright rigged.