Despite a severe sell-off in 2026 that halved the share prices of many U.S. strategic minerals companies, short interest remains high, with some stocks seeing over 30% of their float shorted. This reflects ongoing bearish bets on firms involved in rare earths, lithium, uranium, and other critical minerals, which are key to U.S. efforts to reduce reliance on China amid geopolitical tensions. The sector faces challenges like high costs and long development times, but government backing is expected to continue, making short positions risky if the industry recovers. Key affected companies include Critical Metals, United States Antimony, MP Materials, and Energy Fuels.
As of Oct 20, 2026 20:51 WIB, MP Materials trades at USD 38.32 on Pluang, near its 52-week low of USD 38.10, with a 1-day decline of 1.62%. Energy Fuels Inc is priced at USD 7.95, down 2.57% in the same period. Despite these price drops, MP Materials sees a strong buy interest on Pluang, with 75% of orders being buys, indicating some investor confidence amid the sector's challenges.
