Well, i'm so far from being a whale....i wish i had those problems  
If i have to guess those who make the market prefer the prices to stay low, because the percentage of btc they can take from trading is higher, this means it's easier for them to keep their advantage position. As for the pumps i say they'd pump high enough to raise social attention and greed but no way high like some wet dream extrapolations. After all what they don't make for a higher selling price they'll make from the number of bitcoins sold (and then bought back cheaper by means of same manipulation).