U.S. market sell-off brings short sellers $344 billion profit

(Reuters) - Investors betting on declines in U.S. stocks saw big profits in the last month as equities crashed while the global spread of coronavirus darkened economic prospects and net increases in short selling implying no turnaround in bearish sentiment.Short sellers borrow shares in the hope of buying them back at a cheaper price and pocketing the difference.U.S. shorts saw a one-month paper profit of $343.67 billion (£294.79 billion) from the S&P 500 and Nasdaq's Feb. 19 peaks through to..