Day traders and Reddit are loving Trump's new media company
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...possibly another meme stock?
Digital World Acquisition, the special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) now tied to the latest media and technology venture of former President Donald Trump, saw its stock soar Friday morning, "triggering a halt for volatility" after quadrupling on Thursday, Bloomberg reports.
The ticker by which the SPAC trades — DWAC — was "was among the most popular mentions on Reddit's WallStreetBets, which indicated that DWAC could be having a meme stock moment like GameStop and AMC," writes CNBC. DWAC was the "single most actively traded stock" on Fidelity's brokerage platform on Thursday, with fans of the ex-president pumping the stock online, per Bloomberg.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
SPACs work by going public and raising money from investors first, only to then find a private company to merge with, explains The New York Times. Consequently, investors that back a SPAC initially "have no clue" who a merger partner will turn out to be. That means some of DWAC's big investors were likely unaware they were supporting Trump Media and Technology Group until a deal was reached to merge the two companies on Wednesday.
Since that announcement, shares of DWAC have proved "a hit" with day traders, skyrocketing 1,225%, writes Bloomberg. Its price "nearly tripled" to $131.90 when the market opened Friday morning.
The ex-president hopes the deal — which values his media company at about $875 million, including debt — gives him enough cash to launch a new social media app in 2022 dubbed TRUTH Social, whose purpose is "to create a rival to the liberal media consortium and fight back against the 'Big Tech' companies of Silicon Valley." Unfortunately for him, however, it looks like some hackers have already started that war's first battle.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Today's political cartoons - November 23, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - qualifications, tax cuts, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlands
The Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
By The Week UK Published
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?
Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
By The Week UK Published
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraud
Speed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
What's next for electric vehicles under Trump?
Today's Big Question And what does that mean for Tesla's Elon Musk?
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strike
Speed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US economy still strong in final preelection report
Speed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strike
Speed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strike
Speed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Donald Trump's bitcoin obsession
The Explainer Former president's crypto conversion a 'classic Trumpian transactional relationship', partly driven by ego-boosting NFTs
By The Week UK Published
-
Would Trump's tariff proposals lift the US economy or break it?
Talking Points Economists say fees would raise prices for American families
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published