NYSE Short Interest Hits Record Led By Huge Increases In Financials
March 7, 2008 by Douglas A. McIntyreThe short interest on the NYSE hit an all-time record for the period ending February 29. Figures by company compare to shares sold short on Ferbruary 15.
Financial firms had significant increases in short interest. At Citigroup (C) the number rose 25.8 million shares to 118.6 million. At Wells Fargo (WFC) the figure moved up 12.3 million to 108.8 million. At Wachovia (WB) short interest jumped 6.3 million shares to 103.2 million. At Fannie Mae shares short rose 14.7 million to 66.5 million.At Freddie Mac (FRE) short interest soared 13.4 million to 53.5 million.
Shares short in telecom companies AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ), and Qwest (Q) also rose by a significant margin.
Largest Short Positions
Company Shares Short
Ford (F) 228.6 million shares short
Washington Mutual 152.9 mllion
Citigroup 118.6 million
Wells Fargo 108.8 million
Wachovia 103.2 million
Countrywide (CFC) 102.3 million
Qwest 98.4 million
AMD (AMD) 93.4 million
Micron (MU) 89.0 million
Home Depot (HD) 66.7 million
Fannie Mae 66.5 million’
GM (GM) 66.5 million
EMC (EMC) 65.8 million
Largest Increase In Short Position
Company Increase
Citigroup 25.8 million increase
Fannie Mae 14.7 million
Applied Waste 13.5 million
Freddie Mac 13.4 million
Well Fargo 12.3 million
DH Horton 9.5 million
Largest Decreases In Short Position
Company Decrease In Shares Short
Calpine 10.0 million decrease
Bank of America (BAC) 8.1 million
MGM 6.2 mllion
Delta (DAL) 5.6 million
Huntsman 5.4 million
Sprint (S) 5.3 million
Data from NYSE
Douglas A. McIntyre
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