The Stock Market Is Patently Unfair

This column was originally published on RealMoney on April 25 at 8:02 a.m. EDT. It's being republished as a bonus for TheStreet.com readers.

In a fair market, the property of investors is secure and protected, the playing field is level, and rules are uniformly enforced.

Unfortunately for investors, that does not describe the current condition of the stock market. The current stock market is patently unfair.

The core issues are not complex. They are actually quite simple. Investors in stocks should consider these current realities:

1. A share may or may not be a share.
2. A vote may or may not be a vote.
3. A trade may or may not be a trade.

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