The increase in short interest for Abbott Laboratories suggests a bearish sentiment among investors, which could potentially impact the stock price in the short term. However, the fact that ABT's short interest is significantly lower than its peer group average indicates that the bearish sentiment is not as strong relative to its peers, which might mitigate the potential negative impact on its stock price. Therefore, the short-term impact on ABT's stock price is considered neutral, as the increased short interest could be offset by its relative strength compared to peers.