Short Float
Definition
Short float is the percentage of a stock's float (the shares available for public trading) that traders have sold short and not yet bought back.
Example
“CG Oncology showed a 15.76% short float with earnings four days away, a combination that can move fast in either direction.”
Detailed Explanation
Short float tells you how crowded the bearish side of a stock is. A stock with 20% of its float sold short has a large group of traders who must eventually buy shares back to close their positions. When good news or a strong move forces those short sellers to cover quickly, their buying can push the price higher still, which is what traders call a short squeeze. A high short float is a condition, not a signal: heavily shorted stocks can keep falling for weeks, and the same crowding that fuels squeezes also makes them volatile in both directions. Short interest data is reported periodically, so the figure on a screener or stock card can lag the current position.
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