Top Short-Squeeze Candidates Today: October 22, 2026 — Short Squeeze Score Leaderboard
FCEL leads October 22, 2026's squeeze leaderboard with a score of 96.6/100, driven by high short interest and elevated borrow fees across the top names.
TL;DR: As of market close on October 22, 2026, FCEL leads Tapeboard's Short Squeeze Score leaderboard with a score of 96.6/100, driven by its 33.2% short interest and a 25.2% annualized borrow fee.
Tapeboard's daily squeeze scan ranked 25 stocks by score on October 22, 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. High borrow fees dominated the leaderboard, with several top names carrying triple-digit annualized rates alongside elevated short interest.
Today's October 22, 2026 Squeeze Score Leaderboard
| Rank | Symbol | Squeeze Score | SI % Float | Borrow Fee | Days to Cover | Mom 5d | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FCEL | 96.6 | 33.2% | 25.2% | 3.3 | -17.8% | T |
| 2 | NVAX | 92.2 | 32.3% | 40.8% | 5.1 | -22.1% | T |
| 3 | WULF | 90.3 | 31.2% | 41.4% | 3.2 | -10.3% | T |
| 4 | IREN | 89.5 | 23.6% | 41.7% | 1.6 | -16.1% | |
| 5 | NBIS | 87.8 | 19.5% | 41.4% | 2.2 | -15.5% | |
| 6 | CIFR | 87.2 | 21.7% | 42.9% | 1.7 | -17.1% | |
| 7 | GRRR | 84.2 | 19.5% | 1839.3% | 4.3 | -3.2% | T |
| 8 | ASTS | 83.6 | 24.3% | 67.3% | 3.7 | -12.8% | T |
| 9 | LCID | 82.9 | 60.3% | 1772.0% | 8.7 | -1.1% | T |
| 10 | ZURA | 80.2 | 18.5% | 42.7% | 2.1 | -17.5% | T |
| 11 | BTDR | 79.6 | 38.1% | 43.6% | 6.0 | -13.3% | T |
| 12 | PRME | 78.5 | 27.9% | 47.1% | 6.2 | +3.3% | T |
| 13 | HUT | 77.1 | 18.5% | 40.8% | 3.0 | -15.9% | |
| 14 | RXRX | 74.9 | 30.8% | 48.1% | 5.1 | -13.9% | T |
| 15 | CRBP | 74.5 | 23.1% | 39.5% | 3.5 | -4.6% | T |
*Source: Tapeboard Short Squeeze Score model, October 22, 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 borrow fees dominated the top 10, with LCID, GRRR, NVAX and WULF all carrying elevated annualized costs alongside short interest above 19% of float. FCEL breaks that pattern as the lowest-fee name in the top 10 at 25.2%, carried instead by the board's largest short interest at 33.2% of float and a FINRA threshold flag. Every score in the v6 model is built from a 60/20/20 percentile blend of volatility, float rotation and relative volume among names that clear the 15% short-interest gate, with borrow fee, days to cover and short-volume ratio shown at zero weight.
Top 5 Names
1. FCEL — Squeeze Score 96.6/100
FCEL leads the board with a score of 96.6/100 on 33.2% short interest, the largest in the top 15. Its 25.2% annualized borrow fee supports elevated borrowing costs, and the name carries a FINRA threshold flag. Short interest data reflects the FINRA settlement schedule with its standard reporting lag.
2. NVAX — Squeeze Score 92.2/100
NVAX ranks second with a score of 92.2/100 and 32.3% short interest. Its 40.8% annualized borrow fee is among the higher rates in the top tier, and days to cover sit at 5.1. The stock also carries a FINRA threshold flag on short volume.
3. WULF — Squeeze Score 90.3/100
WULF scores 90.3/100 with 31.2% short interest and a 41.4% annualized borrow fee. Days to cover are 3.2, and the name is flagged on the FINRA threshold list. Five-day momentum stands at -10.3%.
4. IREN — Squeeze Score 89.5/100
IREN posts a score of 89.5/100 on 23.6% short interest and a 41.7% annualized borrow fee. Days to cover are 1.6, the lowest among the top five. Five-day momentum is -16.1%.
5. NBIS — Squeeze Score 87.8/100
NBIS scores 87.8/100 with 19.5% short interest and a 41.4% annualized borrow fee. Days to cover are 2.2. The name does not carry a FINRA threshold flag, and five-day momentum is -15.5%.
Factor Breakdown: How the Score Is Built
The Short Squeeze Score (setup v6, since 2026-10-07) 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; a higher score means higher historical odds of a large move in either direction, not a directional call; borrow fee, days to cover and short-volume ratio are shown for context at zero weight. Link the methodology. Data is attributed to FINRA, the SEC, NYSE and NASDAQ only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top short-squeeze candidates today?
The top three squeeze candidates on October 22, 2026 are FCEL (score 96.6, 33.2% short interest, 25.2% borrow fee), NVAX (score 92.2, 32.3% short interest, 40.8% borrow fee) and WULF (score 90.3, 31.2% short interest, 41.4% borrow fee). All three clear the 15% short-interest gate and carry FINRA threshold flags.
How does Tapeboard calculate its squeeze score?
Names first clear a short-interest gate of at least 15% of float. The score then blends 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 short-volume ratio are context-only inputs at zero weight.
When does short-interest data update?
Short interest lags roughly two weeks per the FINRA settlement schedule and is reported on a point-in-time basis. Borrow fees update daily from broker-dealer stock-loan data.
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 76.8 to 92.2 since the previous record.
GRRR drops out of the top 5 (was rank 2, score 88.2).
CIFR drops out of the top 5 (was rank 4, score 86.6).
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.