Kinda wonky comment, but I view this as a symptom of mark-to-market accounting.
Where if a company holds Q shares of a company, the valuation on their books is P \times Q where P is the last-traded price. So if you pump P, you boost your entire financial position, but it's an illusion because you could never liquidate your entire position at price P.
Qshares of a company, the valuation on their books isP \times QwherePis the last-traded price. So if you pumpP, you boost your entire financial position, but it's an illusion because you could never liquidate your entire position at priceP.