Nasdaq short interest up 4.0% in late March

NEW YORK, April 12 (Reuters) – Short interest on the Nasdaq rose 4.0% in the second half of March, the exchange said on Wednesday.

As of March 31, short interest rose to about 12.834 billion shares, compared with 12.345 billion shares as of March 15.

Investors who sell securities ‘short’ borrow shares and then sell them, expecting the stock to fall so they can buy the shares back at the lower price, return them to the lender and pocket the difference.

Shorting can also be part of a hedging strategy.

(U.S. markets team)

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