Most Shorted ASX Small Caps — 18 Mar 2026

3 min read Weekly Analysis

ASIC publishes daily aggregate short-selling data for all ASX-listed securities. Short interest — the percentage of a company's issued shares that are sold short — is a key indicator of market sentiment and potential for short squeezes.

Currently, 395 ASX small-cap stocks in our universe have reported short interest. The top 20 most shorted are listed below.

Most Shorted ASX Small Caps

Ticker Short % Trend Score Sector
DMP15.8%→ Stable50Consumer Cyclical
TWE15.2%→ Stable46Consumer Defensive
TLX15.1%→ Stable41Healthcare
PNV13.3%→ Stable46Healthcare
GYG13.3%→ Stable41Consumer Cyclical
NAN11.6%→ Stable50Healthcare
BOE11.1%→ Stable54Energy
IEL10.7%→ Stable47Consumer Defensive
FLT10.2%→ Stable31Consumer Cyclical
DRO9.3%→ Stable38Industrials
SLX9.0%→ Stable45Technology
IPH9.0%→ Stable40Industrials
PWH8.9%→ Stable47Consumer Cyclical
BAP8.6%↑ Rising47Consumer Cyclical
LIC8.6%→ Stable38Real Estate
ZIP8.6%↑ Rising40Financial Services
DGT8.3%→ Stable51Real Estate
MMS8.3%→ Stable32Industrials
BRG8.2%→ Stable42Consumer Cyclical
ILU8.1%→ Stable36Basic Materials

How to Read Short Interest Data

High short interest (above 5%) can indicate bearish institutional sentiment, but it also creates conditions for a potential short squeeze if positive catalysts emerge. Stocks with declining short interest while maintaining high conviction scores may represent opportunities where the short thesis is unwinding.

Short interest data is sourced from ASIC's daily short-selling reports and cross-referenced with our multi-dimensional scoring on the SmallCapData dashboard.

GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY — This article is produced by an algorithm and does not constitute personal financial advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. SmallCapData does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). You should consider seeking independent financial advice before making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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