The increase in short interest for HLT suggests that some investors are expecting the price to fall, which could be seen as bearish. However, being below the peer average indicates that HLT is not as heavily shorted as its competitors, which could be interpreted as a sign of relative strength or less negative sentiment compared to its peers. The impact on the stock price in the short term is uncertain, as increased short interest can lead to both downward pressure from bearish sentiment and potential upward pressure from short covering.