short interest

American  

noun

Finance.

1. the total amount by which a single seller or all sellers are short in a particular stock or commodity or in the market as a whole.

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Etymology

Origin of short interest

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

short interest

The analysts, led by Brent Penter, added that short interest in EchoStar has increased since the company’s deal with SpaceX was announced last September, possibly because some private investors used the stock as a hedge.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026

The stock surge followed Wendy’s appointment of Steve Cirulis as chief financial officer and a turnaround plan amid high short interest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Individual investors also tend to be more active in shares of stocks with high short interest.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026

Adding fuel to Avis’ rise was the heavy short interest in its stock, which is a measure of how many investors were betting the shares would fall.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

Then again it's an open question how much stock is owned on the street and how great a short interest has been created.

From Rockhaven by Munn, Charles Clark