Top Short-Squeeze Candidates Today: October 13, 2026
SES leads Tapeboard's October 13, 2026 squeeze leaderboard with a 95.3 composite score, on a day when elevated borrow fees and heavy FINRA threshold-list concentration defined the top of the board.
TL;DR: As of market close on October 13, 2026, SES leads Tapeboard's short squeeze leaderboard with a score of 95.3/100, driven by its 18.0% short interest and a 32.7% annualized borrow fee.
Tapeboard's daily squeeze scan ranked 25 stocks by composite score on October 13, 2026, scoring the names that clear a short-interest gate of at least 15% of float on 20-day volatility (single largest daily move excluded), 5-day float rotation and last-session relative volume, each as a percentile of the gated set. The dominant pattern on today's board is FINRA threshold concentration: 9 of the top 10 names sit on the short-volume threshold list, and the leader pairs that with the highest borrow fee in the set.
Today's October 13, 2026 Squeeze Score Leaderboard
| Rank | Symbol | Squeeze Score | SI % Float | Borrow Fee | Days to Cover | Mom 5d | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SES | 95.3 | 18.0% | 32.7% | 2.0 | +26.6% | T |
| 2 | FCEL | 93.5 | 32.1% | 0.4% | 3.6 | -25.0% | T |
| 3 | CIFR | 92.7 | 21.7% | 0.4% | 2.0 | -26.8% | |
| 4 | ASTS | 89.7 | 24.3% | 0.8% | 4.3 | -25.4% | T |
| 5 | NVAX | 85.8 | 32.3% | 0.4% | 5.4 | +13.3% | T |
| 6 | PRME | 83.9 | 27.9% | 0.5% | 6.5 | -5.1% | T |
| 7 | IMUX | 83.4 | 17.3% | 0.8% | 4.4 | -11.9% | T |
| 8 | GRRR | 79.8 | 19.5% | 14.5% | 6.3 | -22.3% | T |
| 9 | NBIS | 79.6 | 19.5% | 0.3% | 2.7 | -17.2% | T |
| 10 | RXRX | 78.7 | 30.8% | 0.5% | 5.2 | -17.2% | T |
| 11 | HUT | 77.9 | 18.5% | 0.4% | 3.7 | -9.3% | T |
| 12 | TE | 76.1 | 39.6% | 1.7% | 4.2 | -16.8% | |
| 13 | SMR | 75.9 | 22.5% | 0.4% | 2.1 | -19.1% | T |
| 14 | RCKT | 75.5 | 17.3% | 0.3% | 6.4 | -7.3% | T |
| 15 | TWST | 75.0 | 19.1% | 0.3% | 3.2 | -9.4% | T |
*Source: Tapeboard composite squeeze model, October 13, 2026. Names gated at 15%+ short interest, scored on volatility, float rotation and relative volume percentiles. Short interest per FINRA settlement schedule; borrow fees from broker-dealer stock-loan data; short-volume from FINRA Consolidated NMS. Not investment advice.*
What Drove Today's Rankings
Across the top 10, the dominant signal was threshold-list presence paired with short interest between roughly 17% and 32% of float, with most borrow fees still cheap at 0.3% to 0.8% annualized. The outlier is SES at rank 1, where a 32.7% borrow fee and +26.6% five-day momentum carried the score, while NBIS at rank 9 posted the lowest fee in the top 10 at 0.3% and was carried by its short-volume ratio and 2.7 days to cover instead. Because short interest and borrow fee together carry 60% of the composite weight, names strong in both, like SES and GRRR at 14.5%, outranked cheaper-to-borrow high-SI names like TE at 39.6% of float.
Top 5 Names
1. SES — Squeeze Score 95.3/100
SES led the board on the strength of its borrow-fee component, at 32.7% annualized against an 18.0% short interest as a percentage of float. Its borrow fee rose 1.18 percentage points over the last five trading days, and it sits on the FINRA short-volume threshold list. A +26.6% five-day price move added to the momentum input, with 2.0 days to cover.
2. FCEL — Squeeze Score 93.5/100
FCEL ranked second primarily on short interest, at 32.1% of float, one of the highest readings on today's board. Its borrow fee was just 0.4% annualized with no change over five days, so the score leaned on the SI and threshold components; FCEL is on the FINRA threshold list with 3.6 days to cover and a -25.0% five-day move.
3. CIFR — Squeeze Score 92.7/100
CIFR took third with 21.7% of float sold short and a 0.4% borrow fee. Its score climbed from 70.5 on the previous record, and it is the highest-ranked name not on the FINRA threshold list, meaning the composite was carried by SI, utilization, and a 2.0 days-to-cover reading alongside a -26.8% five-day momentum print.
4. ASTS — Squeeze Score 89.7/100
ASTS scored fourth on 24.3% short interest as a percentage of float and a 0.8% annualized borrow fee. The fee actually ticked down 0.03 percentage points over five days, so the threshold flag and 4.3 days to cover did the secondary work, with five-day momentum at -25.4%.
5. NVAX — Squeeze Score 85.8/100
NVAX rounded out the top five with the highest SI reading in the group at 32.3% of float and a 0.4% borrow fee. It is one of only two top-five names with positive five-day momentum, at +13.3%, and it carries a FINRA threshold flag with 5.4 days to cover.
Factor Breakdown: How the Score Is Built
Tapeboard's Short Squeeze Score (setup v6, since 2026-10-07) gates on short interest of at least 15% of float (FINRA settlement, point-in-time and split-safe), then ranks gated names 0-100 on 20-day volatility with the single largest daily move excluded (60%), 5-day float rotation (20%) and last-session relative volume (20%), each as a percentile among the gated names. A higher score means higher historical odds of a large move in either direction; it is not a directional call. Borrow fee, days to cover and the short-volume ratio are shown for context at zero weight. Data are sourced from FINRA, the SEC, and the NYSE and NASDAQ exchanges. Read the full methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top short-squeeze candidates today?
As of October 13, 2026, the top three by composite squeeze score are SES at 95.3 (18.0% SI, 32.7% borrow fee), FCEL at 93.5 (32.1% SI, 0.4% fee), and CIFR at 92.7 (21.7% SI, 0.4% fee). All three sit above 21% short interest as a percentage of float.
How does Tapeboard calculate its squeeze score?
The score gates on short interest of at least 15% of float (FINRA settlement, point-in-time), then ranks gated names 0-100 on 20-day volatility with the single largest daily move excluded (60%), 5-day float rotation (20%) and last-session relative volume (20%), each as a percentile among the gated names. Borrow fee, days to cover and the short-volume ratio are shown for context at zero weight. The full formula, the gate and the calibrated odds are published at the methodology page.
When does short-interest data update?
Short interest is published per the FINRA settlement schedule and lags roughly two weeks behind the trade date. Borrow fees and short-volume threshold data update on a daily, next-day basis, so the fee and threshold components reflect more recent positioning than the SI component.
Data and Methodology
- Squeeze score: Tapeboard composite, recomputed nightly.
- Short interest: FINRA, approximately two-week settlement lag.
- Borrow fee: broker-dealer stock-loan data, daily.
- Short-volume threshold: FINRA Consolidated NMS, daily.
- Momentum: end-of-day prices.
See today's highest borrow fees for the hard-to-borrow ranking, the full daily archive for past records, or the live squeeze leaderboard for tomorrow's update.
What Changed vs the Previous Record
SES enters the top 5 at rank 1 (score 95.3), new to the leader board. CIFR score moved from 70.5 to 92.7 since the previous record. TWST drops out of the top 5 (was rank 3, score 88.4). RXRX drops out of the top 5 (was rank 4, score 88.2).
This record is for educational and informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Short selling carries unlimited downside risk. A quantitative composite does not predict price, and past squeezes are not indicative of future moves. Editor: Marcus Reilly.