naked short-selling
noun[U]
FINANCE,STOCK MARKETukus(alsonaked shorting)aformofshort-sellingwithout firstborrowinganysecurityor makingsureit can beborrowed, sometimes with theresultthat thesellerneverownstheshares,bonds, etc. that thesaleisbasedon. Naked short-selling is often used as a way ofbringingdownshareprices, and isillegalin somecountries.
See also
short selling