Stats › Options, shorts and positioning › Short interest

NYSE short interest hit 9%, above 2008's 5% and COVID's 6%

Jun 2026: 9%9%Jun 2026COVID: 6%6%COVID2008 GFC: 5%5%2008 GFC

The current reading is above both the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID pandemic. Source: Reynolds Strategy via Bloomberg.

Short interest is the total of shares sold short and not yet bought back. In June 2026 it reached 9% of NYSE listed shares outstanding, against about 5% in the 2008 crisis and 6% during COVID. Most of it is hedging, not a view.

9%NYSE listed, June 2026
about 5%2008 financial crisis
3.79%S&P 500, free float
2.63Days to cover, Nasdaq

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