Recent data indicates a notable rise in short interest across U.S. stock markets, with the NYSE reporting a 2.3% increase to 17.76 billion shares in mid-March. This rise marks the highest level of short interest since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, the Nasdaq saw a 2.2% increase, bringing its short interest to approximately 15.66 billion shares as of March 14, up from 15.33 billion shares in late February. These figures suggest a growing bearish sentiment among investors, with individual investors expressing bearish market sentiment above 55% for four consecutive weeks, the longest such streak on record, surpassing even periods during the Financial Crisis. The overall short interest as a percentage of shares outstanding has surged by around 20% in recent weeks, indicating one of the fastest increases in short interest in over a decade.