Short selling positions on retail shares have almost doubled between November and January, as investors bet on further misery for the sector.

Spread betting firm Capital Spreads revealed that almost a quarter of all short positions are now allocated to retail shares.

Capital Spreads head of sales Angus Campbell told The Independent: "Of all short positions on UK equities at the beginning of November, 12 per cent was on retailers. By the middle of January this year this had almost doubled with 22 per cent of all short positions on UK equities being on retail stocks."

Clothing shares are not as favourable as food retailers' shares, with Capital Spreads citing Next, Marks & Spencer and Debenhams as being among the most heavily shorted.