NYSE short interest fell 1.2 percent in mid-July

NEW YORK, July 24 (Reuters) - Short interest on the New York Stock Exchange fell 1.2 percent in mid-July, the exchange said on Friday. As of July 15, short interest fell to about 22.740 billion shares, compared with 23.026 billion shares as of June 30. Investors who sell securities short borrow shares and then sell them, expecting the stock to fall so they can buy the shares back at the lower price, return them to the lender and pocket the difference.