This is an amazing observation. Thank you for making it.
I think it's inter-market makers continuing to juggle and clean their books for the upcoming new rules starting Monday. I think that a lot of them had built a big short position by abusing their own rules on covering.
Agree, nobody wants to fool around with the New Trading Rules. The hefty-fines may chop their arms if they disobey the rules. The gov needs money, you know. The recent arrest on those insider-trading proves that the gov means business. The SEC & FBI are working relentlessly on those cases. The huge fines & penalties from those crooks will put lots of money into gov accounts. Business need more protection from crooks. So far the gov is doing a good job.