Top Short-Squeeze Candidates Today: October 16, 2026
RXRX leads the October 16, 2026 squeeze leaderboard at 90.2/100, and the board is defined by deeply negative five-day momentum and heavy FINRA threshold concentration rather than high borrow fees.
TL;DR: As of market close on October 16, 2026, RXRX leads Tapeboard's short squeeze leaderboard with a score of 90.2/100, driven by 30.8% short interest and a 0.5% annualized borrow fee.
Tapeboard's daily squeeze scan ranked 25 stocks by composite score on October 16, 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 is concentration: 17 of the 25 names sit on the FINRA threshold list, and all 25 posted negative five-day momentum, which is the setup a short squeeze screen looks for.
Today's October 16, 2026 Squeeze Score Leaderboard
| Rank | Symbol | Squeeze Score | SI % Float | Borrow Fee | Days to Cover | Mom 5d | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RXRX | 90.2 | 30.8% | 0.5% | 4.9 | -20.5% | T |
| 2 | NBIS | 89.6 | 19.5% | 0.4% | 2.4 | -25.2% | T |
| 3 | FCEL | 87.9 | 32.1% | 0.3% | 3.7 | -27.9% | T |
| 4 | CIFR | 87.5 | 21.7% | 0.4% | 1.8 | -33.6% | |
| 5 | NVAX | 84.2 | 32.3% | 0.4% | 5.3 | -11.7% | T |
| 6 | GRRR | 83.6 | 19.5% | 14.5% | 5.0 | -30.1% | T |
| 7 | TE | 83.4 | 39.6% | 1.3% | 4.1 | -22.7% | |
| 8 | ASTS | 82.8 | 24.3% | 0.7% | 3.9 | -20.2% | T |
| 9 | IREN | 82.8 | 23.6% | 0.5% | 1.8 | -23.3% | |
| 10 | LEU | 80.6 | 30.9% | 0.5% | 7.7 | -19.3% | T |
| 11 | HUT | 80.2 | 18.5% | 0.4% | 3.2 | -19.6% | T |
| 12 | WULF | 79.4 | 31.2% | 0.5% | 3.5 | -15.2% | T |
| 13 | IBRX | 78.7 | 30.5% | 0.6% | 7.7 | -12.7% | T |
| 14 | OPEN | 75.1 | 24.2% | 0.5% | 6.7 | -4.7% | T |
| 15 | TWST | 74.5 | 19.1% | 0.3% | 3.2 | -16.9% |
*Source: Tapeboard composite squeeze model, October 16, 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
Seven of the top 10 names are on the FINRA threshold list, and every top-10 name has five-day momentum between -11.7% and -33.6%, so short-side pressure and price weakness define the board. FCEL, at a 0.3% borrow fee, is the lowest-fee name in the top 10 and ranks third on 32.1% short interest and 3.7 days to cover instead. Short interest carries the largest weight in the composite at 35%, which is why high-SI names such as TE (39.6%) stay near the top without elevated fees.
Top 5 Names
1. RXRX — Squeeze Score 90.2/100
RXRX carries a composite score of 90.2, led by short interest of 30.8% of float and 4.9 days to cover. Its borrow fee is 0.5% annualized, and the fee slipped 0.01 percentage points over five days. The stock sits on the FINRA threshold list, and five-day momentum is -20.5% at a price of $4.16.
2. NBIS — Squeeze Score 89.6/100
NBIS scores 89.6, with its primary driver a 19.5% short interest share of float alongside a 0.4% borrow fee. Days to cover is 2.4, the second-lowest among the top five. The borrow fee rose 0.09 percentage points over five days, and the stock is on the FINRA threshold list. Five-day momentum is -25.2% at $188.41.
3. FCEL — Squeeze Score 87.9/100
FCEL scores 87.9, driven mainly by short interest of 32.1% of float, the second-highest share in the top five. Days to cover is 3.7 and the annualized borrow fee is 0.3%. The fee fell 0.15 percentage points over five days, yet the stock remains on the FINRA threshold list. Five-day momentum is -27.9% at $14.09.
4. CIFR — Squeeze Score 87.5/100
CIFR scores 87.5 on short interest of 21.7% of float and a 0.4% borrow fee. It is the only top-five name not on the FINRA threshold list. Days to cover is 1.8, the lowest of the five, so the score rests on float and fee components. Five-day momentum is -33.6% at $10.04.
5. NVAX — Squeeze Score 84.2/100
NVAX scores 84.2, up from 73.5 in the previous record, with short interest of 32.3% of float, the highest in the top five. Days to cover is 5.3, also the highest of the group, and the borrow fee is 0.4%. The stock is on the FINRA threshold list, and five-day momentum is -11.7% at $12.82.
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?
RXRX leads at 90.2 with 30.8% short interest and a 0.5% borrow fee. NBIS follows at 89.6 with 19.5% short interest and a 0.4% fee, and FCEL is third at 87.9 with 32.1% short interest and a 0.3% fee.
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 lags about two weeks per the FINRA settlement schedule. Borrow fees update next-day, so the fee and short-volume factors are fresher than the short-interest factor.
Data and Methodology
- Squeeze score: Tapeboard composite, recomputed nightly
- Short interest: FINRA, ~2-week settlement lag
- Borrow fee: broker-dealer stock-loan data, daily
- Short-volume threshold: FINRA Consolidated NMS, daily
- Momentum: end-of-day
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
NVAX score moved from 73.5 to 84.2 since the previous record. ASTS drops out of the top 5 (was rank 3, score 90.7). HUT drops out of the top 5 (was rank 4, score 90.3). PRME drops out of the top 5 (was rank 5, score 87.3).
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.