CNBC • 8/12/2026 – 8/13/2026

Short sellers have significantly increased their positions against SpaceX as the company's stock has retreated to its initial public offering (IPO) price of $135. According to S3, approximately 185 million shares have been sold short, which accounts for roughly 29% of the company's publicly tradable float. This surge in short-selling activity has occurred just weeks after SpaceX's IPO, indicating a rapid change in trader sentiment towards the company. The decline in SpaceX's stock value follows a period of heightened enthusiasm that characterized the post-IPO trading environment. The stock's fall to the IPO price suggests that investors are reassessing the promises made by CEO Elon Musk both before and after the company went public. This reassessment reflects a growing skepticism among traders regarding SpaceX's ability to deliver on its ambitious goals. As short interest in SpaceX fell to about 11% of the company's publicly traded shares on Wednesday, down sharply from a peak of 34% last week, it highlights the volatility and shifting dynamics in the market. The combination of the stock's retreat to the IPO price and the increase in short positions indicates a notable shift in the market's outlook on SpaceX. Traders are becoming more cautious about the company's future prospects, leading to an increase in bets against the stock. Overall, the recent trends in SpaceX's stock performance and short-selling activity illustrate a significant change in market sentiment. The decline in stock value and the rise in short positions suggest that traders are increasingly skeptical about the company's potential, reflecting broader concerns about its performance in the market.
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