I learnt a long time ago that the operatives in Institutional...

I learnt a long time ago that the operatives in Institutional investment fund managers have had their brains neutered by prescriptive operations manuals.

What you suggest from an operations manual perspective might work a treat in relation to a high liquidity big company If shorts were a minuscule part of the daily trade and didn't effect the share price.

However I find it hard to believe that the higher ups in a large holder of HGO would be happy to accept that adding up to 80% to the sell side on a good news day , shorting the stock and smashing the the price down, was a "make us look good strategy" to achieve a reduction in exposure.

Stevie Wonder would be able to see that people with deep pockets in this situation, who wanted to reduce their exposure, would pump on the good news by buying and then dumping to reduce their holding when it was in over value.

Look at any reduction in substantial holding notices appendices and see how many they buy while trying to sell.

IMO the not so smart HGO shorter is a punter not a holder and continues the struggle by adding to his short position.