Restrictions on short sales in the stock market depend on the regulator, and they hint at a dysfunctional market, as short selling remains vital for market stability and accurate pricing. Regulators often fail to realize their interventions are counterproductive. For example, the short-selling restrictions on financial stocks during the 2008 financial credit crisis accelerated selling pressure, drained liquidity, and magnified eventual losses. Regulators hoped to prevent a more significant downward spiral, but their actions fueled the move.