Shorting the ASX: Australia's Most Shorted Stocks, from Official ASIC Data

Yes. Short selling is legal in Australia and regulated by ASIC, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, which requires market participants to report their net short positions. Naked short selling — selling shares without first arranging to borrow them — is prohibited under section 1020B of the Corporations Act 2001.

Short interest is the total number of shares held short in a stock, usually expressed as a percentage of the company's total shares on issue. On the ASX, below 5% is normal, 10-15% is elevated, and above 20% signals extreme bearish positioning and potential short squeeze pressure.

ASIC publishes aggregated short positions with a T+4 trading day delay, so each report reflects positions held four trading days earlier. The delay gives ASIC time to compile accurate figures, protects reporters from being front-run, and limits the scope for market manipulation.

You borrow the shares through a broker with a securities lending arrangement in place, sell them at the current price, then buy them back later — profiting if the price has fallen. Covered short selling is the only legal form in Australia, and losses are theoretically unlimited if the price rises instead. Read the full guide to shorting the ASX.