CTT shorts jump +0.80% as LOT still tops the ASX at 16.01%
Week 20, 2026 (11 May 2026 — 15 May 2026)
The top of the leaderboard barely moved, with LOT still the most shorted name on the ASX at 16.01% (down -0.41%) and DMP close behind at 15.55% (down -0.14%). The real action was in the movers: CTT spiked from 1.80% to 2.60% (+0.80%), while RIO saw a rare large-cap lift from 7.35% to 8.02% (+0.66%).
By Shorted AI Research · Published · Sourced from official ASIC short position reports (T+4 delay). Methodology · Not financial advice.
This Week's Analysis
If you only look at the top 10, you’d think shorts took a breather. But the week’s loudest signal came from CTT: short interest jumped from 1.80% to 2.60% (+0.80%). That’s a big weekly move for a $125M retailer with a beta of 2.24 — the kind of setup where positioning can snowball quickly if the tape turns. 1
LOT remains the market’s favourite short at 16.01%, even after easing from 16.42% (-0.41%). DMP is still heavily targeted at 15.55% (down -0.14%), which makes sense when you line it up against FY2025: revenue from ordinary activities fell -3.1% to $2,303.7 million and the year ended with a net loss after tax of -$3.7 million. 2 TLX (15.27%, -0.10%) and PNV (14.37%, -0.05%) stay crowded despite their growth narratives — a reminder that the ASX will short expensive expectations as readily as weak earnings. TWE sits at 12.85% with a flat weekly change (+0.00%), even after reporting FY2025 revenue from ordinary activities of $2,990.1 million and profit attributable to shareholders of $436.9 million. 3
Top Shorted Stocks This Week
Financial Snapshot
Key financial metrics from recent company reports for the most shorted stocks.
Biggest Risers
Stocks with the largest increase in short interest this week.
Biggest Fallers
Stocks with the largest decrease in short interest this week.
Movers Analysis
RIO was the eye-catcher among the risers: 7.35% to 8.02% (+0.66%). That’s not retail punting — that’s real money leaning in. It comes with solid disclosed numbers (H1 2025 consolidated sales revenue of $26,900 million and underlying EBITDA of $11,500 million), so this reads more like a macro/commodity view than a company-specific blow-up trade. 4 DRO also saw shorts add: 10.72% to 11.09% (+0.37%). For a defence-linked growth stock, that’s a meaningful weekly nudge higher. On the cover side, BOE had one of the sharpest pullbacks: 13.73% to 13.26% (-0.47%). With FY26 production guidance of 1.6M lbs U3O8 and C1 cash cost guidance of A$41-45/lb, some shorts are clearly choosing to reduce exposure into the ramp narrative rather than press it. 5
Industry Trends
Two themes stand out. First: consumer-facing names remain structurally shorted — DMP at 15.55%, GYG at 13.87%, and FLT at 10.89% (up +0.02%). Second: the uranium trade is still a battleground. LOT leads the entire market at 16.01% while BOE is still high at 13.26% even after this week’s -0.47% unwind. Zooming out, the market’s average short position is 1.42% across 731 stocks, with a WoW average change of +0.08%. So while the headline names were steady, the broader market is still inching risk higher. 6
Outlook
Watch whether CTT’s 2.60% becomes a trend (momentum shorts love follow-through), and whether RIO holds above 8.02% — large-cap short builds tend to be deliberate, not accidental.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which ASX stock is the most shorted this week?
LOT is the most shorted at 16.01%, down from 16.42% (-0.41%) week-on-week.
What was the biggest weekly rise in short interest?
CTT rose from 1.80% to 2.60%, a +0.80% weekly increase.
Why would shorts still target DMP at 15.55%?
DMP’s FY2025 showed revenue from ordinary activities down -3.1% to $2,303.7 million and a net loss after tax of -$3.7 million, which keeps the fundamental debate alive. [ref-2]
Is RIO’s move to 8.02% short interest unusual?
Yes — RIO moving from 7.35% to 8.02% (+0.66%) is a sizeable weekly shift for a mega-cap, and it happened despite H1 2025 consolidated sales revenue of $26,900 million and underlying EBITDA of $11,500 million. [ref-4]
Are shorts backing away from uranium names?
Mixed: BOE fell from 13.73% to 13.26% (-0.47%), but LOT is still extremely crowded at 16.01% even after a -0.41% weekly dip.
Sources
- ASIC short position data in report (Week 2026-W20): CTT 1.80% → 2.60% (+0.80%)(2026-05-11) [asic data]
- ASX announcement: DMP 'FY25 Appendix 4E / Annual Report' (net loss after tax -$3.7m; revenue from ordinary activities down -3.1% to $2,303.7m)(2025-08-27) [financial report]
- ASX announcement: TWE '2025 Annual Report' (revenue from ordinary activities $2,990.1m; profit attributable to shareholders $436.9m)(2025-08-13) [financial report]
- ASX announcement: RIO 'Rio Tinto 2025 half year results presentation' (H1 2025 consolidated sales revenue $26,900m; underlying EBITDA $11,500m) plus ASIC short position data (7.35% → 8.02%)(2025-07-30) [financial report]
- ASX announcement: BOE 'Annual Report to shareholders' (FY26 production guidance 1.6M lbs U3O8; C1 cash cost guidance A$41-45/lb) plus ASIC short position data (13.73% → 13.26%)(2025-08-29) [financial report]
- ASIC short position data in report (Week 2026-W20): total stocks shorted 731; average short 1.42%; WoW average change +0.08%; max short 16.01% (LOT)(2026-05-11) [asic data]
Data sourced from ASIC short position reports (T+4 delayed). This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Short selling data may not reflect real-time market conditions.