Infosys(US:INFY) The Economic Times·2025-12-20 06:56Core Viewpoint - The recent surge in Infosys' American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) by as much as 40% within minutes of trading opening has raised concerns about short selling, automated trading systems, and market liquidity issues, prompting a trading halt by the NYSE [9][10]. Group 1: Short Squeeze and Market Dynamics - A short squeeze is identified as a primary reason for the rapid price increase, where investors betting against the stock are forced to buy back shares at higher prices, further driving up demand and prices in a self-reinforcing cycle [10]. - Traders reported that a major lender recalled 45–50 million Infosys ADR shares, significantly higher than the typical daily trading volume of around 7 to 8 million shares, which may have pressured short sellers to buy back shares quickly [10]. Group 2: Technical Errors and Algorithmic Trading - A technical error involving a ticker mapping glitch mislabelled Infosys' ticker on various platforms, leading to confusion among automated trading systems, which may have interpreted the mismatch as a strong buy signal [5][10]. - The financial metrics and news headlines associated with the incorrect ticker still referenced Infosys, including its $75 billion market capitalisation and AI investments, which likely contributed to aggressive automated buying [5][10]. Group 3: Market Sentiment and Company Response - The Indian IT sector saw a slight uptick following Accenture's better-than-expected quarterly results, but this alone does not account for the significant movement in Infosys ADRs [7][10]. - Infosys clarified that there were no material developments behind the price volatility, stating that the trading activity did not require disclosure under SEBI regulations [8][10].