iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) Short Interest Ratio & Short Volume

Short interest is the volume of iShares Biotechnology ETF shares that have been sold short but have not yet been closed out or covered. As of January 15th, investors have sold 8,740,000 shares of IBB short. Learn More on iShares Biotechnology ETF's current short interest.

The short interest ratio, also known as the "days to cover ratio", is calculated by dividing the number of shares of a stock sold short divided by its average trading volume. A short interest ratio ranging between 1 and 4 generally indicates strong positive sentiment about a stock and a lack of short sellers. A short interest ratio of 10 or greater indicates strong pessimism about a stock. IBB shares currently have a short interest ratio of 5.0. Learn More on iShares Biotechnology ETF's short interest ratio.

As of the most recent reporting period, the following institutional investors, funds, and major shareholders have reported short positions of iShares Biotechnology ETF: Nomura Holdings Inc., Paloma Partners Management Co, UBS Group AG, and BNP Paribas Financial Markets. These positions are disclosed in Form 13F filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

iShares Biotechnology ETF saw a increase in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totaling 8,740,000 shares, an increase of 4.3% from the previous total of 8,380,000 shares. Changes in short volume can be used to identify positive and negative investor sentiment. Investors that short sell a stock are betting that its price will decline in the future. An increase in short sale volume suggests bearish (negative) sentiment among investors. A decrease on short sale volume suggests bullish (positive) sentiment.

Here is how the short interest of companies compare to iShares Biotechnology ETF: VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (24.39%), VanEck Biotech ETF (0.09%), Invesco S&P SmallCap Health Care ETF (0.03%), ProShares Ultra Nasdaq Biotechnology (2.28%), Principal Healthcare Innovators ETF (0.29%), Invesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (1.75%), First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF (0.13%), JPMorgan Healthcare Leaders ETF (0.08%), and ProShares UltraShort Nasdaq Biotechnology (7.88%).

As of the most recent reporting period, the following stocks had the largest short interest positions: T-Mobile US, Inc. ($4.10 billion), General Motors ($3.90 billion), Charter Communications, Inc. ($3.31 billion), Occidental Petroleum Co. ($2.91 billion), Tractor Supply ($2.75 billion), Moderna, Inc. ($2.44 billion), Coinbase Global, Inc. ($2.10 billion), United Rentals, Inc. ($2.09 billion), Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. ($2.03 billion), and Rivian Automotive, Inc. ($1.89 billion). View all of the most shorted stocks.

Short selling IBB is an investing strategy that aims to generate trading profit from iShares Biotechnology ETF as its price is falling. IBB shares are trading up $0.82 today. To short a stock, an investor borrows shares, sells them and buys the shares back on the public market later to return it to the lender. Short sellers are betting that a stock will decline in price. If the stock does drop after selling, the short seller buys it back at a lower price and returns it to the lender. The difference between the sell price and the buy price is the trader's profit.

A short squeeze for iShares Biotechnology ETF occurs when it has a large amount of short interest and its stock appreciates in price. This forces short sellers to cover their short interest positions by buying actual shares of IBB, which in turn drives the price of the stock up even further.

Short interest is typically published by a stock exchange once per month. However, NASDAQ publishes a report for U.S. stocks, including IBB, twice per month. The most recent reporting period available is January, 15 2024.