German government sells its last shares in Lufthansa

BERLIN (AP) — The German government has sold its last shares in the country’s biggest airline, Lufthansa, which it stepped in to rescue at the height of the coronavirus crisis. The government’s Finance Agency said that the remaining stake of some 9.9% has now been sold to international investors. The agency’s head said the total proceeds from selling the government’s holdings came to 1.07 billion euros (dollars) — a significant gain over the 306 million euros for which the shares were acquired. Lufthansa, which also owns carriers including Austrian Airlines and Swiss, received a 9 billion-euro government rescue package in mid-2020. The German government took a 20% stake in the company.