Bond ETF short interest swings: surges and drops across funds

4.3 Markets

Oct 10, 2026

BondBloxx JP Morgan USD EM 1-10 Yr Bond ETF short interest soared 943.4% in September. iShares EMB saw a 1,359% surge in put options. ILTB short interest fell 99.8%, while IMTB's rose 1,031.5%.

BondBloxx JP Morgan USD Emerging Markets 1-10 Year Bond ETF (BATS:XEMD) saw a dramatic 943.4% increase in short interest during September, rising to 140,306 shares by month-end from 13,447 shares mid-month. This represents 1.5% of the ETF’s outstanding shares sold short, with a days-to-cover ratio of 0.8 based on an average daily trading volume of 181,813 shares. On Friday, the ETF’s price rose by $0.08 to $43.13, with 113,382 shares traded. The 50-day and 200-day moving averages are $44.01 and $44.41, respectively, and the ETF has traded between $42.53 and $45.41 over the past year. Institutional investors have recently adjusted their positions in XEMD, with several firms reporting new or increased stakes. Meanwhile, iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (NASDAQ:EMB) experienced a 1,359% surge in put option activity, with 16,519 contracts traded. EMB opened at $91.17, has a 12-month range of $89.69 to $97.80, and recently raised its monthly dividend to $0.4436, yielding 5.8%. Additionally, iShares Core 10+ Year USD Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:ILTB) reported a 99.8% decrease in short interest to 709 shares, while iShares Core 5-10 Year USD Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:IMTB) saw a 1,031.5% increase to 63,739 shares. Both ILTB and IMTB noted significant institutional activity and changes in holdings.