Bears Circle: WOLF, HTZ Lead the Most-Shorted Pack

Wolfspeed sits at the top of the short interest table. Its SI hit 79% of free float as of July 20. Shares to borrow are essentially gone — availability is at 0%. The stock has rallied 162% over three months, creating real squeeze pressure for bears.

Hertz is another extreme case. SI stands at 70% of free float. Availability is also 0%, meaning new short positions are almost impossible to open. The car rental giant is down from recent highs. Bears remain trapped.

Chewy saw shorts cover this week. SI fell nearly 3 percentage points to 65.8% of FF. Still heavily shorted, but the direction has changed. Availability is high at 726%, so bears can easily add — but many are pulling back.

On the rising side, Columbia Financial saw the sharpest weekly jump. SI climbed almost 7 percentage points to 24.2% of FF in just seven days. That's a big move for a regional bank.

Replimune saw shorts retreat sharply. SI dropped 7 points to 31.6%. Biotech short covering can be fast and violent.

Avis Budget also saw shorts ease. SI fell 3.7 points to 29.5% of FF. The car rental space remains contested, but pressure is easing slightly.

Lucky Strike Entertainment (LUCK) leads on days-to-cover at 47 — that's extreme. Any buying surge could force a violent unwind.