Major Banks: Big Drop In September Short Interest (BAC, C, JPM, WB, WFC)

Banking, finance, and taxes

Published: September 21, 2007 9:28 am

Last Updated: March 26, 2020 3:34 pm

It looks like short sellers decided to bail out of the money center banking stocks ahead of the FOMC decision on rates. This is consistent with the overall trends if you look at the total exchange short interest we discussed last night on the short interest dropping on NYSE and on AMEX for the first time in months.

Here we have a small table showing the short interest dropping in all of the money center and giant U.S. banking stocks:

Bank Stock (ticker)             SEPT.       AUG.    %Change
Bank of America (BAC) 31.748M 41.285M -23.00%
Citigroup (C)                   34.406M 40.521M -15.10%
JPMorgan Chase (JPM) 37.516M 45.234M -17.05%
Wachovia (WB)                36.059M 49.889M -27.70%
Wells Fargo (WFC)          47.395M 62.988M -24.75%

If you average this out, it appears that the overall short interest on a raw average of percentages was a drop of 21.52% from August to September 2007.

Jon C. Ogg
September 21, 2007

It’s Your Money, Your Future—Own It (sponsor)

Retirement can be daunting, but it doesn’t need to be.

Imagine having an expert in your corner to help you with your financial goals. Someone to help you determine if you’re ahead, behind, or right on track. With SmartAsset, that’s not just a dream—it’s reality. This free tool connects you with pre-screened financial advisors who work in your best interests. It’s quick, it’s easy, so take the leap today and start planning smarter!

Don’t waste another minute; get started right here and help your retirement dreams become a retirement reality.