A firm participating in a public offering agrees to repurchase shares at no less than the original sales price. Such agreements are?

In a public offering, a firm’s commitment to repurchase shares at no less than the original sales price is considered a form of price manipulation and is, therefore, prohibited under securities regulations. This is primarily because such agreements can create artificial price support for the stock, manipulating the market's natural supply and demand dynamics.

The integrity of the market depends on genuine trading activity, and agreements like this can mislead investors regarding the true value of the securities. Regulatory bodies such as FINRA and the SEC actively monitor for these practices to maintain fair treatment of all market participants. This kind of activity is viewed as attempting to misrepresent the stability and demand for a security, leading to its classification as fraudulent and manipulative.