In other words, while HFT may have rigged the market, it was the Fed that has openly broken it.

Today, none other than the WSJ is the latest to confirm this. To wit:

 

We’ve had more proof that financial markets are in thrall to central banks rather than caring about the health of the economy. Data out of Asia and Europe were disappointing, with China suffering a drop in both exports and imports and with industrial production in Italy softening as deflation worries persisted in France. Yet markets are stronger everywhere today. In Asia, that was partly explained by the largely expected but still significant news that China will allow Hong Kong shares to trade in Shanghai, marking a further easing in capital controls.