Update: August 8 – Broker TradeStation is also caught paying for lent out shares.
Original New Story Below:
Next Bridge is a private company. MMTLP shares are deleted. How is it that brokers are still showing Next Bridge shares are being lent out?
These screenshots, posted by Lucas St, appears to show both Next Bridge Hydrocarbons and Meta Materials shares being lent out. MMTLP Resources does not know what broker this is from or has not verified the authenticity of these screenshots.
What is share lending? Short sellers must first find shares to borrow—which is where securities lending comes in. They are borrowing their shares from other users that hold that security. Supposedly with their consent, and being paid for the privilege.
This explanation of share lending is of course not always the case because we all know that lenders can magically make new shares from old ones which is referred to as naked short selling or better yet counterfeit shares.
There are many questions here but the real one for today, right now is —how could shares of Next Bridge be lent out presently when they are private shares and not in any way tradeable?
Shareholders of any stock would be wise to choose options with their broker to not allow share lending. When you are allowing it, you’re hurting your own interest in that company. If you are not sure if your shares are being lent out, ask your broker.