NYX Nyse Euronext

Short interest in stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange rose 3.4% between the second half of March and the first half of April, according to the latest figures from the unit of NYSE Euronext (NYX).

NYSE's short interest totaled 13.06 billion shares as of April 15, equal to 3.4% of total shares outstanding. That was from 12.63 billion from the prior period, which ended March 31.

Investors who short shares first borrow shares and then sell them, betting that share prices will fall and that they can buy them back at a lower price for return to the lender. Stocks can also be shorted for other reasons, including hedging strategies.

-By Nathan Becker, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2855; nathan.becker@dowjones.com