Short sellers who lack strong conviction, adequate capitalisation, or proper risk management, making them vulnerable to being forced out of their positions by even modest price increases. Weak shorts tend to cover quickly during short squeezes or unexpected bullish moves, adding fuel to upward price pressure as their buy-to-cover orders compound buying volume. Market makers and institutional traders often target levels where weak shorts have clustered their stop losses.
Example
“The sharp rally off support triggered a wave of buying as weak shorts rushed to cover, turning a modest bounce into a 5% intraday surge.”