From the SMH blog:
CBA analyst Nizar Torlakovic notes aggregate shorts position increased “significantly” to 1.24 per cent of the S&P/ASX 200 market capitalisation between July 18 and July 25. In terms of actual dollar value of shorts, this represents an increase of $1.4 billion.
“The weekly increase is one of the larger increases we’ve seen and it appears short sellers are positioning for more negative surprises in the coming reporting season,” Torlakovic writes in a research note to clients on Friday. “Two-thirds of the companies in the S&P/ASX 200 experienced additional shorting over the week.”
The largest increase in shares sold short were Flight Centre, Papillon Resources, Skilled Group, Kingsgate Consolidated, Kathmandu, Arrium and Fortescue Metals Group. The most covered stocks were Wotif, Southern Cross Media Group and AGL Energy.
