Just over a week ago the SEC took an "emergency action" and banned all short selling on 799 financial companies.

Short sellers borrow stock with the aim of selling it, then buy it back at a lower price, hoping to pocket the difference. The commission said short sellers add liquidity to the markets during normal conditions, but recent unbridled short-selling has contributed to the recent tailspin in the stock market.

What the SEC didn't bother to consider was that short-selling also adds liquidity during the tailspin as well.
The SEC has made things worse, not better.