An airline that doesn't fly and is broke at that seems to be of interest to punters at the moment. We're talking about Air Berlin, because the stock, which is still listed, has grown noticeably in the last few days.

In August 2017, the then second largest airline in Germany had to file for bankruptcy and has been in liquidation ever since. However, the share is still traded on the stock exchange and there are actually speculators who purchase this paper, regardless of the fact that no annual report has been published for a long time and everyone should be aware that Air Berlin is in liquidation.

Within a year, the share on the Stuttgart Stock Exchange was able to gain an impressive 198,1 percent. In the last four weeks, the paper was particularly popular and increased by 210 percent. Within the last seven days, the increase in value was 63,2 percent. It goes without saying that the paper is a so-called penny stock and the price gains are in the cent range.

The Air Berlin share had its 22-week low on January 2020, 0,0026 at 52 on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. On November 16, 2020, the share was traded at EUR 0,0260. A significant increase considering the company is broke and in the process of being wound up. On Thursday the rate leveled off at around 21 cents.

The fact that there are speculators who are interested in insolvent companies is not an isolated case, especially in Germany. Probably the most famous “ghost share” was that of IG Farbenindustrie AG. In 1952 the liquidation was ordered and in 1955 the general meeting decided to wind it up. As IG Farbenindustrie AG iA, the share was listed on the stock exchange until March 9, 2012 and was at times extremely brisk. Only on October 31, 2012, the group, which has a dark past, was deleted from the commercial register and de-jure ceased to exist.