What Does Short Selling Tell Us About Stock Market Sentiment?

Doing something different is necessary to outperform the stock market average. And, one key indicator that investors use to gain an edge is short selling. In this post, we’ll delve into what short selling is, how it can be an indicator of market sentiment, and what the current climate of short selling tells us about the potential path of the stock market. We’ll also explore how other indicators such as the VIX, yield curve, and sentiment indicators can be utilized to predict the future path of the financial markets.

What is Short Selling?

Short selling is an investment strategy where an investor borrows shares of a stock from a broker and sells them immediately, with the intention of buying them back later at a lower price. It’s the opposite of buying a stock. Instead of betting on an increase in value, short sellers bet a stock will fall in value. If the price of the stock declines, the short seller can buy the shares back at the lower price, making a profit from the difference.

Why is a High Degree of Short Selling a Bullish Indicator?

One might think that a high degree of short selling indicates bearish sentiment. However, paradoxically, it is a bullish indicator. This is because, as short sellers borrow and sell shares, they create a potential demand for these stocks in the future. When the price does not decline as they anticipate, or even increases, short sellers need to buy the shares back to cover their positions. This buying pressure can drive the stock prices higher, and this phenomenon is known as a short squeeze. Building bearish sentiment can prove to be a source of support for the market. If shorts continue to be on the wrong side of a trade, they may need to buy back stocks to exit their positions, which provides greater demand for a rally of prices.

What Does the Current Degree of Short Selling Tell Us About the Potential Path of the Stock Market?

As of recent data, short sellers are ramping up bets against US stocks even though they are already incurring heavy paper losses. Total US short interest exceeded $1 trillion this month as per S3 Partners LLC data. This is indicative of growing pessimism among some traders, who believe that the recent rally in the S&P 500 might soon lose momentum.

However, this ramping up of short positions could have dual implications. On one side, it reflects bearish sentiment, and if the market does turn around, these short sellers could reap profits. On the flip side, if the market continues its bullish trend, short sellers may have to cover their positions, resulting in buying pressure that could further fuel the rally.

How Might Other Indicators Be Used to Predict a Future Path for Financial Markets?

Beyond short selling, there are other indicators that investors can employ to gauge market sentiment:

1. VIX: The Volatility Index, often referred to as the “fear gauge,” measures market expectations of near-term volatility. A high VIX suggests that investors expect significant changes in stock prices, which can be indicative of uncertainty or fear in the market.

2. Yield Curve: The yield curve plots the yields of bonds with equal credit quality but differing maturity dates. Typically, a normal yield curve slopes upward, indicating that long-term bonds have higher yields compared to short-term bonds. However, an inverted yield curve, where short-term yields are higher than long-term yields, is often considered a predictor of economic recession.

3. Sentiment Indicators: These indicators measure the mood of investors. For example, the Put/Call ratio compares the trading volume of bearish put options to bullish call options. A high ratio suggests that investors are purchasing more puts than calls, which can be indicative of bearish sentiment.

Free Newsletter

Each week, our team publishes a free newsletter for subscribers. Sign up here: