[questime]

If you think the SEC is some sort of godlike entity who can read peoples mind yeah this may be illegal. What I'm suggesting is not manipulation - just that investors would be extra willing to invest in the ARM IPO since it increases the value of other assets they own.

It doesn't involve scheming, secret organizations etc. If you were a huge LP and you took on a lower ROI investment on ARM but it increases the value of all the companies in your portfolio wouldn't you do it? Also as an investment banker you would pull out all the stops to get this deal done in a favorable way to investors since you want the market to reopen. That isn't manipulation either, the IB is lowering their fees in order to get the market back open.