The only explanation of the price action that makes sense to me...

The only explanation of the price action that makes sense to me is accumulation - hence why big stacks of shares that are supposedly for sale. If you had so many shares to sell would you have shown your hand? How can you get a good price for them if you put them up for sale all at once? The only way it makes sense is if the goal is to keep prices suppressed and force impatient holders to sell at lower prices.