Short Sellers Attack Ondas, Avis Budget, RH: Here Are the 10 Most Shorted Stocks

Short sellers are circling some of the market’s most beaten-down and most volatile names, led by Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG), which now has more than 80% of its float sold short — the highest ratio among the market’s 10 most-shorted stocks, according to short-interest data from Benzinga Pro.

• ONDS stock is moving. See the real-time price action here.

Rounding out the top four are car-rental operator Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CAR), hotel franchisor Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE:CHH) and home-furnishings retailer RH (NYSE:RH) — all carrying short interest above 55% of float, a level that has repeatedly touched off squeeze-chasing trading this year. 

Avis has been especially prone to violent reversals: shares soared 160% in a short squeeze in April, and its short interest has stayed elevated ever since.

Top 10 Most Shorted Stocks

Here are the most heavily shorted stocks (with market caps above $2 billion and free floats above 5 million) as of Aug. 13, according to data from Benzinga Pro. 

Momentum Diverges Across the List

Positioning is shifting fast beneath the surface. Ondas’ short interest has climbed from under 35% in July, even as the drone and defense-tech name slipped Thursday. 

Lucid’s ratio, by contrast, has eased from nearly half its float earlier this month, though the EV maker remains a perennial fixture atop short-seller lists. 

Reminders:

• Highly shorted stocks are battlegrounds where negative fundamentals meet speculative trading.​
• Short squeezes can deliver huge, fast gains, but at high risk and volatility.​
• Monitoring the short interest leaderboard can help identify which stocks might be the next short squeeze, but timing such trades remains extremely challenging.​
• Always conduct due diligence, as the volatility often reflects deep underlying risks and business uncertainty.

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