NEW YORK (Reuters) – Short interest on the New York Stock Exchange rose 2.4 percent in mid-December, the stock exchange said on Tuesday.
As of December 13, short interest had risen to about 16.155 billion shares, compared to 15.784 billion shares as of November 29.
Investors who short sell securities borrow shares and then sell them, anticipating that the stock will fall so they can buy the shares back at the lower price, return them to the lender and collect the difference.