Ten Most Shorted Stocks On NYSE

First among the companies is AT&T (NYSE: T) which recently received approval from the FCC for its deal to buy DirectV for $48 billion. Perhaps because of optimism about the deal, short interest in AT&T dropped 13.3 million shares to 301.8 million.

Shares of Vale (NYSE: VALE) rose less than one million to 211.3 million. The stock of the commodity producer has been hammered by dropping prices. Its shares have fallen by about two-thirds from their 52-week high and trade at $5.

Chesapeake Energy Oklahoma (NYSE: CHK) short interest rose 9.3million during the period to 192.4 million. Falling oil prices have battered its shares to a 52-week low.

Another energy company sits in the next spot. Shares short in Petroleo Brasileiiro Petrobras (NYSE: PTR) rose 9 million to 138.3 million. The Brazil based oil firm has been decimated by both a fall in oil prices and a series of management scandals.

READ MORE: America’s Most Oil Rich States

Next on the list is troubled wireless telecom company, Sprint (NYSE: S). Share short rose 6.2 million to 109.4 million.

Petroleum services company Transocean Ltd (NYSE: RIG) was hit by lower oil prices. Shares sold short in the company rose 6.8 million to 107.4 million.

J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP), one of weakest large retailers in America, had a short interest of 99 million, which dropped by 1.6 million to 99 million.

Another faltering energy company, Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU), had a short interest which dropped less than a million shares to 98.1 million

Rounding the list of the top 10 most shorted stocks of companies which trade on the NYSE, was Ford (NYSE: F), with a short interest of 96.5 million .The car company which is in second place in terms of  sales in the U.S. could be overtaken in that position soon by Toyota (NYSE: TM)