Shares in the embattled commodities trader Noble Group fell as much as 9 percent to S$0.17 on Friday after it transferred more than 14 million shares to employees who are leaving the company.
At 0600 GMT, about 4.8 million shares changed hands compared to a 30-day average of 4.2 shares.
The stock has lost 17 percent since Friday's close, dropping for a seventh week. The trader's market capitalization, which once topped $10 billion, has shrunk to $168 million.
Noble Group said it was transferring a total of 14,688,625 treasury shares to the staff from the two units, according to a statement to the exchange late on Thursday evening.
The stock, handed over in relation to awards under the company's 2014 restricted share plan, was valued at $2.01 million.
The Hong Kong-based firm, which is in talks with investors to address its deteriorating financial position, has been forced to shrink its business, exiting loss-making and non-core operations in order to survive.
Last month, Noble Group agreed to sell its U.S. oil-liquids business to Vitol Group to reduce debt.
Earlier this month, the company announced the surprise departure of its co-Chief Executive Jeff Frase, just days after it reported a third-quarter loss of $1.17 billion and warned that the operating environment remains challenging.
