From the way this keeps happening I can't help wondering if it's a deliberate attempt to damage confidence in BTC rather than a way to make money or simple incompetence. Now, who would both be able to afford to do this and benefit from it? Maybe I'm just being paranoid but I can't help suspecting the US government or their banks - neither of whom are famous for playing fair or even obeying the law. They could cause trouble like this with their spare change.
I don't think a tin foil hat is necessary to consider them capable of malicious behaviour, they have a long history of it.
or it's a way to soften up the meat before you *really* bite into it...
I don't think anyone is going to take a big bite until MtGox no longer determines the price of the Bitcoin market. It really is laughable when you think about it. I think everyone is really just waiting for the next gen exchanges.
If I were an Evil Twin and had enough money, I would definitely try to wreak havoc (not too much though, don't want to completely destabilize the ecosystem) to buy at a lower pricepoint.
But yes, nextgen exchange is an idea. That actually can lead to yet another tinfoilhattery: what if I really wanted to destabilize MTG and then, like a knight in shining armor, open my brand new exchange (that follows all the laws, has some anti-manipulation features, whatnot)?
Bitcoin is actually pretty fragile, when you think about it, but also has an enormous potential. This has attracted and will attract more unsavoury characters. And when *real* money will start to play with it, run for the hills (actually, HOLD for the mid to long term).