Bears Circle EVs and Retail as Short Bets Surge

Short sellers moved decisively this week. LCID saw the biggest jump among large names. Its SI % of free float rose to 49.7% — up 14.4 percentage points in just seven days. Availability is near zero at 0.4% of SI. Borrowing costs sit at 6.6%. Shorts are piling in and there's almost no stock left to borrow.

CHWY also drew heavy fresh selling. SI hit 63.6% of free float, up 11.3 points on the week. Over half a billion dollars of short exposure has built up. Despite the high SI, availability remains ample at 482% — suggesting the bet is crowded but not yet squeezed.

WOLF — the embattled chip maker — extended its already extreme short position. SI climbed to 83% of free float, up 7.7 points. Zero shares remain available to borrow. That combination of sky-high short interest and zero availability is a classic squeeze setup.

EVCM carries the market's highest short score at 94. Its cost to borrow hit 42% APR — a sign lenders are charging a steep premium for scarce stock. Availability stands at just 6.4% of SI.

On the other side, GME shorts cut positions fast. SI dropped 9.2 points to just 1.1% of free float. The meme-stock era squeeze risk is essentially gone for now.

CAR (Avis Budget) also saw short covering. SI fell 5 points to 31.8%. The rental car sector remains under pressure but bears appear to be locking in gains.