When shorts borrow they're looking for a price that has already risen or one that will rise further. The more they can drop the price the more money they can potentially make. Most shorts are looking for short term opportunities so they can minimize the holding costs of interest. Larger short holders have the wherewithal that they can wait to sell at an opportune time when the price rises steeply. It's the difference between sell price and the buy price to cover that determines a short sellers profit or loss.