During the early parts of the war, Whitcomb served as a Navy lieutenant on a minesweeper.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: "I'm proud of you folks too" Poster

The poster's creator was Jon Whitcomb (1906-1988), a prominent American artist known for his prodigious drafting skills.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: "I'm proud of you folks too" Poster

Mr Whitcomb argues that investors would benefit if Nasdaq stocks were more finely priced, ideally in hundredths of a dollar.

ECONOMIST: Collusion in the stockmarket

His writing, done for children's books as well as for a Cosmopolitan feature called "On Location with Jon Whitcomb, " also achieved some notoriety.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: "I'm proud of you folks too" Poster

Mr Whitcomb runs Automated Trading Desk, a firm that competes with market makers, and freely admits the need for independent confirmation of his findings.

ECONOMIST: Collusion in the stockmarket

According to Mr Whitcomb, avoiding odd sixteenths is nonetheless a symptom of something quite worrying: that there are in effect two Nasdaq markets, one centred on the electronic systems, in which best prices are set, and the dealer market, which is a price follower.

ECONOMIST: Collusion in the stockmarket