Wizz Air Now London’s Most Shorted Stock – Airline Chaos Continues

Wizz Air (LON: WIZZ) has overtaken Greggs as the most shorted London-listed company, with 16.2% of its shares now held by short-sellers, according to the latest Short Tracker data.

The shift comes as the conflict in the Middle East and a surge in jet fuel prices place the aviation sector under pressure.

The top five most shorted stocks now comprise Wizz Air (16.2%), Greggs (13.5%), Ibstock (11.1%), WH Smith (8.2%) and Ocado (7.0%).

Wizz’s move to the top follows a steep decline in its share price, which has fallen 26.5% year-to-date, 41.3% over the past 12 months, and 32.7% in the last month alone. The stock trades at 950p, near multi-year lows.

Airline shares have been hit particularly hard since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliation and widespread disruption across the region.

The resulting shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a key supply route for energy, has driven aviation kerosene prices more than 80% higher, the BBC recently reported.

Analysts warned the surge could lead to higher fares, flight cancellations, and margin pressure across the industry.

Wizz Air has already cautioned that the conflict would reduce its annual profit by €50 million, with fuel costs a major factor. Rising geopolitical risk, elevated operating costs, and uncertainty over summer travel demand have made the stock a prime target for bearish investors.

Wizz’s rapid descent and the worsening sector backdrop suggest investor sentiment could remain fragile in the near term.