I looked at my YTD statement and under the "Interest" category, I noticed that every month I have an entry called "USD Net Short Stock Interest for <insert month here>". Sometimes it's a credit, but usually it's a debit. The amount is never really very much in either direction, but why would it ever be a credit? Isn't there always a borrowing cost associated with shorting stocks? I'm always short some stocks, often hedged with options.
It is the sum of short stock cost and the income from SYEP. Probably you participate in the last (otherwise indeed the number will always be a "debit" (as you call it)).
I expected the amount to be negative. I do participate in the SYEP so that must be where the credit is coming from. So thanks, that makes sense.
"Interest Paid to You on Short Sale Proceeds Cash Balances" https://www.interactivebrokers.co.uk/en/index.php?f=39726&p=secfinancing https://ibkr.info/node/41
However that (if any because balance needs to be > $100k) doesn't fall under the category "USD Net Short Stock Interest for <insert month here>"