Is Major Semiconductor Short Interest Suggesting an End to the Tech Rally?

Photo of Chris Lange
By Chris Lange Updated Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.
Is Major Semiconductor Short Interest Suggesting an End to the Tech Rally?

© Thinkstock

The short interest data have come out for the September 30 settlement date. It is important to note that semiconductor trends are considered to be leading indicators of technology and broader electronics demand. A strong rally in the tech sector largely pushed many of these companies to new highs, as the Dow and S&P have both hit new all-time highs. But currently markets are retreating, begging the question whether this tech rally is over. The short interest might suggest that it is.

The September 30 short interest data have been compared with the previous report. Short interest increased in these selected semiconductor stocks.

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) saw its short interest increase ever so slightly to 75.55 million shares. The previous level was 75.47 million. Shares closed Tuesday at $37.27, in a 52-week trading range of $27.68 to $38.36.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) had a short interest increase to 93.37 million shares from the previous level of 80.60 million. Shares of AMD closed Tuesday at $6.49, in a 52-week range of $1.75 to $8.00.

[nativounit]

Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) saw the number of its shares interest grow to 23.08 million, compared to the previous period, in which 21.43 million shares were reported short. Qualcomm shares closed most recently at $66.09, in a 52-week range of $42.24 to $70.40.

Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) short interest shrank to 14.18 million shares. The previous reading was 14.62 million. Shares closed Tuesday at $28.64, in a 52-week range of $15.07 to $31.07.

Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) saw its short interest decrease to 70.45 million shares from the previous reading of 77.14 million. Shares closed Tuesday at $16.86, in a 52-week range of $9.31 to $19.30. Note that like AMD and Intel, Micron is one of the most shorted Nasdaq stocks.

Broadcom Ltd. (NASDAQ: AVGO), the result of the Avago-Broadcom merger, saw its short interest jump to 4.59 million shares from the previous of 3.78 million. Shares closed most recently at $171.17, in a 52-week range of $112.38 to $179.42.

[wallst_email_signup]

Photo of Chris Lange
About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

Our $500K AI Portfolio

See us invest in our favorite AI stock ideas for free

Our Investment Portfolio

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

CBOE Vol: 1,568,143
PSKY Vol: 12,285,993
STX Vol: 7,378,346
ORCL Vol: 26,317,675
DDOG Vol: 6,247,779

Top Losing Stocks

LKQ
LKQ Vol: 4,367,433
CLX Vol: 13,260,523
SYK Vol: 4,519,455
MHK Vol: 1,859,865
AMGN Vol: 3,818,618