Bears Target Semis as Midterms Reshape Markets

Short sellers have been active this week, with Wolfspeed topping the most-shorted list among sizeable names. Its SI % of FF hit 86.5%, up from 80.6% a month ago. The SiC chipmaker has struggled with weak demand and high debt. Bears show no sign of retreating.

Pharma newcomer Braveheart Bio also caught attention. SI % FF rose to 42.4%, up 6.4 percentage points in just five days. That is a sharp jump for a stock with a $1.76B market cap. Its short score sits at 83, and cost to borrow runs at 8.4%.

1-800-Flowers.com remains in the top short interest bracket at 79% SI % FF. Days to cover stand at 25.3, one of the highest on the market. EPS estimates fell 32.6% over the past month.

EverCommerce holds the top short score among $1B-plus stocks at 97. CTB is an elevated 85%. Availability of shares to borrow is near zero at 0.5%. That combination raises squeeze risk if buyers emerge.

Las Vegas Sands saw short interest tick up 1.76 percentage points in five days to 8.6% of FF. ORTEX Alt Data shows Macau VIP baccarat revenue hit its largest Q3 figure in six years at MOP 16.9B. Bears appear to be fading that recovery signal.

Overnight, Super Micro Computer surged over 7% after-hours. An executive said a single AI order now exceeds an entire quarter from a year ago. SMCI's SI % FF dropped 1.56 points over the past month to 14.9%. A continued squeeze could follow if the rally holds through today's session.

The 2026 midterm elections are the dominant macro backdrop. Democrats appear on course to take the House. Markets will likely price the result through Wednesday.