• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

3

The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens

3

The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
FinanceNovo Nordisk
Europe

Wall Street is now betting against restaurant stocks because of Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and high interest rates

Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Prarthana Prakash
By
Prarthana Prakash
Prarthana Prakash
Europe Business News Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 10, 2023, 7:42 AM ET
ozempic injection picture
Ozempic, originally approved to treat type 2 diabetes, is one of the Novo Nordisk drugs fueling the weight loss market.Jaap Arriens—NurPhoto/Getty Images

The impact of drugs aiding weight loss, including Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic, is reaching far beyond health care. Short-sellers are now doubling down on their bets against restaurant stocks—thanks to higher interest rates and weight loss drugs that could impact consumer behavior. 

Recommended Video

Short positions on companies such as McDonald’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Starbucks have seen big increases in the 30 days to Monday, Bloomberg reported, citing data from New York–based analytics firm at S3 Partners. Traders have expanded those bets by $815 million over that time period, and short interest in restaurants collectively has swelled to $12.2 billion, the company said.

“If high interest rates continue, we should see discretionary consumer spending take a hit and the restaurant sector to continue its downward price trend,” Ihor Dusaniwsky, S3’s managing director, told Bloomberg. He added that business for the restaurant industry could be hurt if more consumers resorted to GLP-1 medications such as type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic and weight-loss-targeted Wegovy, both of which curb appetite for food intake.

The possible ripple effects of GLP-1 drugs have already begun putting pressure on restaurant stocks. For instance, the S&P 500 Restaurant Sub Industry Index has dropped about 12% in the last three months, according to MarketWatch.

S3 found that shorting restaurant industry stocks had already paid off for investors—in the past month, 97% of every dollar that was shorted turned profitable, the firm said. 

“For now, market momentum is favoring the short side of the market,” Dusaniwsky told Bloomberg. 

S3 Partners didn’t immediately return Fortune’s request for comment.

Investors across different industries are trying to gauge how a frenzy started off by Novo’s “miracle” weight loss drugs could impact different business areas. Last week, British bank Barclays suggested shorting fast-food credit as their products stand to lose from the growing popularity of the weight loss industry. The U.S. CEO of the world’s biggest retailer Walmart also cautioned that the company was seeing initial signs that consumers using appetite-suppressing drugs were pulling back from some food spending. 

Weight loss drug boom

Demand for Novo-made drugs turned the company, previously known for its insulin manufacturing, into a behemoth in the pharma industry. Wegovy became a sensation among dieters, and social media and A-listers like Elon Musk helped amplify the buzz around the drugs, which can serve as a tool for safe weight-shedding. The popularity of these drugs has soared almost concurrently with a rise in food prices around the world, which has eased food sales as consumers tighten their purse strings to cope with inflation.

A rapidly growing weight loss market helped push Danish Novo to become Europe’s most valuable company, unseating luxury conglomerate LVMH from the position.  

“We are serving more patients than ever before,” Novo CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen said in a statement announcing the company’s earnings for the first six months of 2023 in August. The market for weight loss drugs is set to reach $100 billion by 2035, according to BMO Capital Markets, cracking open a large consumer base in the coming years.

Novo didn’t immediately return Fortune‘s request for comment.

About the Author
Prarthana Prakash
By Prarthana PrakashEurope Business News Reporter
LinkedIn icon

Prarthana Prakash was a Europe business reporter at Fortune.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Meet the Black women on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list shaping business leadership
MPWMost Powerful Women
Meet the Black women on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list shaping business leadership
By Cheyann HarrisMay 29, 2026
8 minutes ago
dewine
North AmericaData centers
Ohio calls time on data-center tax break after cost balloons to $1.5 billion, 11x the initial estimate
By Marc Levy and The Associated PressMay 29, 2026
41 minutes ago
Top CD rates from major banks May 29, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on May 29, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerMay 29, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of Ethereum for May 29, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for May 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 29, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of Bitcoin for May 29, 2026
Personal FinanceCryptocurrency
Current price of Bitcoin for May 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 29, 2026
2 hours ago
Current price of gold as of May 29, 2026
Personal Financegold prices
Current price of gold as of May 29, 2026
By Danny BakstMay 29, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
8 days ago
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
Magazine
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
By Emma HinchliffeMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
Environment
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
By Dorany Pineda, Brittany Peterson and The Associated PressMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
Banking
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
By Nick LichtenbergMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 28, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 28, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 28, 2026
1 day ago
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
Success
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says almost no one is being hired—except in sales
By Emma BurleighMay 28, 2026
23 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.