August Short Interest Surges Across Municipal Bond ETFs

August brought notable shifts in short interest across several municipal and treasury-focused ETFs. Fidelity Systematic Municipal Bond Index ETF (FMUN) experienced a surge in short interest, leaping about 958% to 6,906 shares, with a minimal short interest ratio of 0.5 days. In contrast, WisdomTree 7-10 Year Laddered Treasury Fund (USIN) and WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal Fund (WTMY) saw substantial declines in short interest, with USIN dropping 89.8% to 11 shares and WTMY dropping 88.5% to 48 shares, reflecting shifts in investor positioning. SPDR SSGA My2028 Municipal Bond ETF (MYMH) reversed course with a dramatic 4,053.7% rise in short interest to 2,243 shares, accompanied by a 5.2-day days-to-cover and a 0.7% short share. Meanwhile, several institutional moves accompany USIN and MYMH activity, including new stakes from Kestra Advisory Services, Citadel Advisors, Jane Street Group in USIN, and Flow Traders’ sizable purchase in WTMY. The updates collectively suggest a mix of hedging and opportunistic positioning as investors adjust exposure to municipal and treasury-grade debt within a volatile August.