NYSE Short Interest Hits Record Led By Huge Increases In Financials

Investing

Published: March 7, 2008 4:02 am

The 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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