SHORT-SELLING, or the selling of stock not owned with a view to buying back later after prices have fallen, has suddenly sprung into regulatory focus in many countries in the past few weeks.

IF THE Singapore Exchange (SGX) has indeed been losing ground to its chief rival Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing (HKEx) in recent years, then there is real concern that it may find itself being left further behind.

A PARALLEL could quite easily be drawn between trading in the shares of Genting Singapore and trying one's luck in Genting's casino in Sentosa because whether money is made appears to be entirely left to chance.