AT&T Rises 0.17% on 44.66% Volume Drop to $590M, Ranks 143rd in Market Activity as Short Interest Slides 9.6% to 80.7M Shares

Generated by AI AgentAinvest Market Brief
Monday, Aug 18, 2025 8:19 pm ET1min read
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Aime RobotAime Summary

- AT&T (T) rose 0.17% on August 18 despite a 44.66% drop in trading volume to $590M, ranking 143rd in market activity.

- Short interest fell 9.6% to 80.7M shares by July 15, with institutional investors like Goldman Sachs reducing bearish bets.

- Bank of America initiated T with a "Buy" rating and $32 target, contrasting downgrades for peers and signaling improved confidence.

- A volume-based trading strategy yielded 23.4% returns from 2022-2025, highlighting conservative performance in current market conditions.

On August 18, 2025, AT&TT-- (T) traded higher by 0.17% despite a 44.66% decline in daily trading volume to $590 million, ranking it 143rd in market activity. Short interest in T fell 9.6% to 80.73 million shares by July 15, reflecting reduced bearish sentiment. The short interest ratio stands at 2.0, aligning with generally positive market sentiment. Institutional investors including Goldman SachsGS--, CitiC--, and Allianz have reported short positions, though the decline in short volume suggests improving confidence in the stock. T's short interest remains below competitors like T-MobileTMUS-- (3.28%) and VerizonVZ-- (1.99%), indicating relatively stable positioning within the telecom sector.

The latest Bank of AmericaBAC-- analyst activity includes an initiation of coverage for T with a "Buy" rating and $32 price targetTGT-- on July 7. This contrasts with recent downgrades for peers like Target and WalmartWMT--. Notably, T's short interest has decreased for the third consecutive month, suggesting a shift from earlier bearish positioning. The stock's current valuation metrics and reduced short pressure indicate potential for continued stability in the near term.

A backtested strategy of buying the top 500 most actively traded stocks and holding for one day generated a 23.4% cumulative return between 2022 and the present, translating to $2,340 in profits. While this demonstrates positive performance, the moderate returns highlight the conservative nature of volume-based trading approaches in current market conditions.

Market Watch column provides a thorough analysis of stock market fluctuations and expert ratings.

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