Top Short-Squeeze Candidates Today: October 19, 2026
CIFR leads Tapeboard's October 19, 2026 squeeze leaderboard, with borrow-fee pressure dominating the top of the Short Squeeze Score ranking.
TL;DR: As of market close on October 19, 2026, CIFR leads Tapeboard's short squeeze leaderboard with a score of 90.8/100, driven by 21.7% short interest and a 0.4% annualized borrow fee.
Tapeboard's daily squeeze scan ranked 25 stocks by composite score on October 19, 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. Borrow-fee stress is the dominant pattern across the leaderboard, with several names carrying elevated stock-loan costs alongside negative five-day momentum. The first occurrence of short squeeze risk appears in the top-ranked names, while borrow fee and short interest readings anchor the composite.
Today's October 19, 2026 Squeeze Score Leaderboard
| Rank | Symbol | Squeeze Score | SI % Float | Borrow Fee | Days to Cover | Mom 5d | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIFR | 90.8 | 21.7% | 0.4% | 1.8 | -31.2% | |
| 2 | RXRX | 90.1 | 30.8% | 0.5% | 4.9 | -10.0% | T |
| 3 | NBIS | 89.2 | 19.5% | 0.4% | 2.3 | -19.0% | T |
| 4 | FCEL | 87.1 | 33.2% | 0.3% | 3.6 | -21.3% | |
| 5 | GRRR | 84.7 | 19.5% | 14275.6% | 4.8 | -25.8% | T |
| 6 | IBRX | 84.5 | 30.5% | 0.5% | 7.6 | -16.8% | T |
| 7 | ASTS | 83.2 | 24.3% | 0.8% | 3.9 | -18.6% | T |
| 8 | HUT | 83.2 | 18.5% | 0.3% | 3.2 | -20.0% | T |
| 9 | IREN | 82.1 | 23.6% | 0.4% | 1.8 | -20.3% | |
| 10 | WULF | 81.9 | 31.2% | 0.5% | 3.4 | -9.8% | |
| 11 | PRME | 81.7 | 27.9% | 0.5% | 6.2 | +6.1% | T |
| 12 | LEU | 80.7 | 30.9% | 0.5% | 7.4 | -18.6% | T |
| 13 | NVAX | 79.3 | 32.3% | 0.4% | 5.3 | -14.5% | T |
| 14 | TE | 77.2 | 39.6% | 1.2% | 4.1 | -20.9% | |
| 15 | WRBY | 75.0 | 19.5% | 0.4% | 5.2 | -3.8% | T |
*Source: Tapeboard composite squeeze model, October 19, 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
High short interest as a percentage of float dominates the top 10, with names such as FCEL, RXRX, TE, and WULF all above 30% of float. GRRR is the clear outlier, breaking the pattern with an extreme borrow fee carried on float and days-to-cover rather than conventional stock-loan cost. The score weights short interest at 35% and borrow fee at 25%, so elevated days to cover and negative momentum act as secondary confirmers across the leaderboard.
Top 5 Names
1. CIFR — Squeeze Score 90.8/100
CIFR leads the board with 21.7% short interest as a percentage of float and a 1.8-day days-to-cover figure, supported by a -31.2% five-day momentum reading. Its 0.4% annualized borrow fee is modest, so the score reweights across the remaining factors. The name is not on the FINRA threshold list.
2. RXRX — Squeeze Score 90.1/100
RXRX pairs 30.8% short interest with a 4.9-day days-to-cover reading and sits on the FINRA threshold list. Negative five-day momentum of -10.0% compounds the short-covering pressure, while its 0.5% annualized borrow fee adds modest stock-loan cost.
3. NBIS — Squeeze Score 89.2/100
NBIS carries 19.5% short interest and a 2.3-day days-to-cover figure, with a -19.0% five-day momentum drag. Its 0.4% annualized borrow fee is modest, and the name appears on the FINRA threshold list.
4. FCEL — Squeeze Score 87.1/100
FCEL posts the highest short interest in the top five at 33.2% of float, supported by a 3.6-day days-to-cover figure and -21.3% five-day momentum. Its 0.3% annualized borrow fee is low, and the name is not on the FINRA threshold list.
5. GRRR — Squeeze Score 84.7/100
GRRR is driven by an extreme annualized borrow fee of 14275.6%, far above any other name in the top 15. It pairs that with 19.5% short interest, a 4.8-day days-to-cover figure, and -25.8% five-day momentum, and it sits on the FINRA threshold list.
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?
The top three are CIFR at 90.8 with 21.7% short interest and a 0.4% borrow fee, RXRX at 90.1 with 30.8% short interest and a 0.5% borrow fee, and NBIS at 89.2 with 19.5% short interest and a 0.4% borrow 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 roughly two weeks under the FINRA settlement schedule. Borrow fees update daily from broker-dealer stock-loan data, and the short-volume threshold reflects FINRA Consolidated NMS readings.
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 price data.
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 drops out of the top 5 (was rank 5, score 84.2).
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.