Short Interest Increases — Rising Bearish Positions
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
What these columns measure
- Short Interest Change
- How far the reported short position moved between the two most recent FINRA settlement files. The share counts under each percentage are the two positions it was computed from. A position that grew from almost nothing has no meaningful percentage, so those rows report a floor of over 999.99% instead, and only when the current position is at least 275,000 shares.
- Split in period
- A share split that took effect between the two settlement dates puts the two counts on different share bases, so the percentage measures the rebase rather than any trading. Those rows are struck through and marked, never adjusted, because a heuristic correction here is a number nobody can verify.
- SI % of Float*
- Shares sold short measured against the shares actually available to trade. Where no reliable float exists the position is measured against shares outstanding instead and the row says "of outstanding", because the same position reads lower on the wider denominator.
- Days to Cover
- Shares sold short divided by average daily volume: how many days of ordinary trading buying the position back would take. FINRA floors the value at 1.00 whenever average daily volume already exceeds the position, so those rows read "1 day or less" rather than stating a precision the source withheld.
- Why a cell shows a dash
- A percentage is withheld rather than guessed whenever its denominator cannot be trusted: the security class publishes no float, the share-count sources disagree, a split leaves the basis uncertain, the settlement file reports no position, or the computed percentage failed the reliability check. The raw share counts stay visible in every one of those cases.
What rising short interest means
A larger reported short position means more shares were borrowed and sold by traders expecting the price to fall. Institutions also short to hedge, so a growing position records positioning rather than a verdict, and the rows here are simply the ones whose position grew fastest between the two most recent FINRA settlement files.
The size of the move is what makes a row worth a second look, and the columns beside it are what make it readable: a large percentage on a tiny base says almost nothing, while a crowded position with a high days-to-cover figure is the combination that turns a catalyst into a squeeze. Read the change with the share counts and the float percentage, never on its own.
Key Indicators to Watch:
- Short Interest Ratio (Days to Cover): Shares sold short divided by average daily volume. A high ratio with rising short interest means it would take shorts many days to cover, increasing squeeze risk if the stock rallies.
- Rate of Increase: A sudden spike in short interest is more significant than a gradual rise. Rapid increases often precede volatility events such as earnings, FDA decisions, or sector-wide catalysts.
- Institutional Positioning: Rising short interest alongside declining institutional ownership can confirm bearish thesis. However, rising shorts with stable ownership may indicate hedging rather than directional bets.
- Contrarian Opportunity: Extremely high short interest can paradoxically become bullish if a catalyst triggers a short squeeze — forced buying that drives prices sharply higher.
How to Use This Data:
Stocks on this page have the largest percentage increases in short interest between FINRA reporting periods. Consider these strategies:
- Use rising short interest as one factor in bearish analysis — confirm with deteriorating fundamentals or technical breakdowns
- Watch for stocks where short interest is growing but price remains resilient — potential squeeze candidates
- Cross-reference with earnings dates, analyst downgrades, and sector news for context on why shorts are increasing
- Monitor the days-to-cover ratio alongside short interest changes for a complete picture of squeeze risk
Important Considerations:
Rising short interest alone is not a sell signal. Short positions can serve hedging purposes, and many heavily shorted stocks stabilize or reverse higher. Institutional shorts often have longer time horizons than retail traders anticipate. Always combine short interest data with fundamental analysis, technical indicators, and risk management before making trading decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q Which stocks had the biggest short interest increase this period?
TEVA leads this ranking, followed by PASW and IMC. The ranking measures the change in reported short positions between two consecutive FINRA settlement files, so it reflects positions that were open on those two dates rather than trading that happened in between. The figures on this page come from the settlement dated Sep 15, 2026.
Q How often is short interest data updated?
FINRA collects short positions twice a month, on the settlement dates around mid-month and month-end, and publishes each file about seven business days later, on dates it announces a year ahead. That gap is why this page states its settlement date and the age of the figures: a position can have changed substantially before the next file confirms it.
Q What do short interest as a percentage of float and days to cover actually mean?
Short interest as a percentage of float is the shorted position measured against the shares actually available to trade, so it answers how crowded the short side is. Days to cover divides that position by average daily volume, answering how long ordinary trading would take to buy it back. Where no reliable float exists, the percentage is measured against shares outstanding instead and the row says so, because the same position reads lower on the wider denominator.
Q Why do some rows show no percentage change?
A position that grew from almost nothing has no meaningful percentage: dividing by a near-zero previous position produces a number that says more about the denominator than about the position. Rows in that state report a floor of over 999.99% instead, and only when the current position is at least 275,000 shares. Below that size the page shows no percentage at all and leaves the raw share counts, which are the reliable figures.
Q How do traders screen for short squeeze candidates?
A squeeze needs three things together, and no single column identifies one. First, a crowded position: a high percentage of float, not merely a large share count. Second, difficulty exiting: a high days-to-cover figure, meaning ordinary volume cannot absorb the buying that covering requires. Third, a catalyst that forces the timing, such as an earnings surprise, a regulatory decision or a financing announcement. Screening on any one of the three in isolation produces mostly false positives. Rows marked as split-affected belong in none of it: a split between the two settlement dates rebases the share count, so their change reflects arithmetic rather than anyone trading, and they are marked precisely so they can be set aside.
Q Does high short interest mean a stock will fall?
No. Short interest records positioning, not outcomes. Institutions short for hedging as well as for directional bets, so a large position may be one leg of a trade rather than a view on the company. Heavily shorted stocks have both fallen and risen sharply; the data tells you who is positioned how, and nothing about who is right.