{"id":"sentiment-short-interest","category":"sentiment","title":"Short Interest as a Squeeze Signal","summary":"High short interest + improving fundamentals = squeeze potential; monitor days-to-cover.","trigger":{"always":false,"sectors":[],"tickers":[],"regimes":["trending_bull"]},"ttl_hours":168,"content":{"metrics":{"short_interest_pct_float":"% of float shares sold short — above 20% is high; above 30% is extreme","days_to_cover":"Short interest / avg daily volume — above 5 days = squeeze potential","borrow_rate":"Cost to borrow shares short — high borrow rate signals crowded short"},"squeeze_conditions":["Short interest > 20% of float","Days to cover > 5","Improving fundamental catalyst (earnings beat, analyst upgrade, product launch)","Stock starting to move up against the shorts"],"entry_approach":"Buy the stock or OTM calls when squeeze conditions align with a fundamental catalyst. Position size 2-3% max — squeeze is speculative.","data_sources":"FINRA short interest reports (bi-monthly), broker borrow rate screens, Ortex or S3 Partners for real-time estimates","verdict":"Short squeezes are speculative but can produce 30-100% moves in weeks. The critical ingredient is a fundamental reason for shorts to be wrong — pure mechanical squeezes (meme stocks) reverse violently. Look for the fundamental catalyst first."}}