The Ultimate Guide to Stock Trader Meme Trading

Author

Reads 1.3K

A person uses a tablet to monitor stock market trends and real-time trading graphs.
Credit: pexels.com, A person uses a tablet to monitor stock market trends and real-time trading graphs.

Meme trading is a unique aspect of the stock market that has gained significant attention in recent years. It's all about using internet memes to make predictions about a company's stock price.

Meme traders often use humor and irony to convey their opinions, making it a fun and entertaining way to engage with the market.

The goal of meme trading is to identify patterns and trends in the market that may not be immediately apparent to other investors.

Some meme traders use technical analysis to identify potential buy and sell points, while others rely on their instincts and market experience.

What is a Meme Stock?

Meme stocks are company shares that have grown immensely popular online and are traded on the stock exchange.

They're often characterized by high volatility and short-lived popularity, mainly fueled by social media platforms. This means the price can fluctuate rapidly and unpredictably.

Investing in meme stocks has a sense of humor as an underlying undercurrent, as investors are purchasing stock in a company that lacks a solid track record of successful business practices.

What Is a Meme Stock?

Credit: youtube.com, What Are Meme Stocks? Definition & Examples

A meme stock is essentially a company share that's become super popular online and is traded on the stock exchange. It's often a company that lacks a solid track record of successful business practices.

Meme stocks are characterized by high volatility, meaning their prices can fluctuate rapidly. They're mainly fueled by social media platforms.

Investors buy meme stocks with a sense of humor, often as a way to persuade others to short the stock. It's almost comical that they're doing so.

Meme stocks are typically heavily shorted stocks that groups of retail investors decide to back in buying campaigns. Their goal is to force short sellers to close out their positions by buying shares of stock and thus pushing up the stock price.

The buzz created around meme stocks may trigger trading algorithms that use social media signals for trading, causing an artificial price increase.

Origin of Names

The term "meme stock" was coined due to the rapid proliferation of ideas about meme stocks on the internet, including web forums and social media platforms.

Credit: youtube.com, Here are the newest names in the meme stock craze

Meme stocks got their name from the way they spread quickly online, with communities building around them and creating their own language and symbols.

The internet is where meme stocks truly came to life, with social networks and online forums like Reddit playing a big role in their popularity.

Reddit, in particular, has been a hub for meme stock enthusiasts, where they share and discuss ideas about these stocks.

Classic Examples and Top Picks

The term "meme stock" became popular at the turn of the decade. Classic examples of meme stocks in 2021 include AMC Entertainment and GameStop, which saw extraordinary price action during the first quarter of 2021.

These stocks were driven by a multitude of retail investors looking for quick profits in options bets, resulting in enormous trading volumes. Their prices skyrocketed due to stock purchases and option bets.

Some of the top meme stocks include AMC Entertainment, GameStop, and Bed Bath & Beyond, which have garnered cult-like followings on social media platforms.

Classic Examples of 2021

Person Trading Stocks on Phone and Laptop
Credit: pexels.com, Person Trading Stocks on Phone and Laptop

The first quarter of 2021 saw two notable meme stocks, with their price action making headlines.

GameStop's stock price skyrocketed to $380 in January 2021, a significant increase from its pre-pandemic value.

The charts from the first quarter of 2021 show a sharp rise in AMC Entertainment's stock price, reaching $72 in February 2021.

These two stocks were among the most talked-about meme stocks of 2021, with their price action being closely watched by investors.

Top Picks

GameStop is a classic example of a meme stock that experienced a parabolic liftoff during the first quarter of 2021, with its stock price increasing from less than $3 a share in April 2020 to $20 a share by the beginning of that year.

The stock plummeted to less than $3 a share in April 2020, but recovered to $20 a share by the beginning of 2021. Numerous hedge funds maintained large short positions in the stock in January 2021.

Stock trader analyzing financial graphs on multiple computer monitors in an office setting.
Credit: pexels.com, Stock trader analyzing financial graphs on multiple computer monitors in an office setting.

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, 175% of the shares available to the public were sold short in mid-January 2021. The price action of GameStop between January 13 and January 28 was a classic short squeeze.

GameStop's stock peaked at $483 on January 28, a twenty-four fold increase in price during January. The hedge funds lost billions of dollars, with Melvin Capital's $4.5 billion loss in January being the most publicized one.

The video game shop was founded in 1984 and has over 4,500 physical stores, in addition to its online store. GameStop stock was originally traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 2002.

GameStop's share price was $17 at the start of 2021, but after the buzz, it jumped to $325, marking an 1800% gain. The frenzy lasted barely two weeks before the price fell to $50 per share during the first several days of February.

Another meme run began in mid-March, resulting in the share's price reaching an all-time high of $265 at one point.

Nio (NYSE: Nio)

Credit: youtube.com, Should You Buy Nio Stock for 2025? | NIO Stock Analysis | NIO Stock Prediction | NIO

Nio is the industry leader in premium smart electric vehicles in China, designing, producing, and marketing electric vehicles.

Their technology is focused on developing driverless vehicles.

In 2020, Nio debuted on the public markets with each share costing slightly less than $4.

The price of shares hit around $54 in October and November, resulting in a return on investment exceeding 1,250%.

This outstanding return was a media sensation.

The stock price climbed again in January 2021, hitting $62.

Nio's market value grew to $75 billion due to the stock price gain, putting the company fifth on the list of the world's largest automakers by market capitalization.

As of now, a share of stock is priced at $20.82.

Snap (NYSE: SNAP)

Snap (NYSE: SNAP) is a company that owns and operates Snapchat, a social media network.

Most of Snapchat's revenue comes from online advertising, which represents 99% of the company's overall cash flow.

Snap debuted on the public stock market in 2017 with a share price of $27.

Credit: youtube.com, Can Snap Inc. (SNAP) Stock Deliver Long-Term Growth?

The stock has a huge online following, with many discussions on Reddit.

In 2020, the price reached an all-time low of $5 per share, the lowest price for Snap ever.

It peaked at $83 per share in 2021, which was its all-time high price.

Apple's new privacy enhancements resulted in a large drop in income for all social media apps.

Despite that, Snap's revenue for the first quarter of 2022 was $1.06 billion.

Reddit and Stock Trading

Reddit is a massive online platform with over 430 million monthly users, known as "redditors." It's a bulletin board website where users can share content, including photos, videos, links, and text-based posts.

Subreddits are communities focused on specific topics, with over 138,000 active communities. Influential subreddits for investing in the stock market include WallStreetBets, r/stocks, and r/investing.

Members of these subreddits are generally young, male, with a college degree, and an entry-level salary. They often have modest amounts of cash to invest and seek to pyramid it into small fortunes.

Credit: youtube.com, What Are The “Meme” or “Reddit” Stocks

The WallStreetBets subreddit alone has 9.7 million members, who engage in discussions and vote on content. StockTwits, another social media platform, has over two million members, all focused on sharing ideas between investors, traders, and entrepreneurs.

Studies have shown that sentiment analysis on Reddit can predict meme stock returns. For example, a study found significant correlation between WallStreetBets sentiment and meme stock returns.

Stock Trading Strategies and Tools

Trading high-volatility instruments like meme stocks requires intuitive and responsive trading tools that can be accessed in real time, wherever you are.

To trade successfully, you need to invest smarter, not harder. This means using the right trading tools that can help you make informed decisions quickly.

Meme stocks are notorious for their high volatility, so it's essential to have trading tools that can keep up with the action.

Trade Smarter with the Right Tools

To trade smarter, you need intuitive and responsive trading tools that can access in real time, wherever you are.

Credit: youtube.com, 💪 Pocket Option Strategy So Easy a Beginner Can Make Money!

High-volatility instruments like meme stocks require these types of tools to navigate.

Meme stocks can be unpredictable, making it crucial to follow a meme stock watchlist to stay on top of the top movers.

Setting stop-loss and take-profit targets is a must when trading meme stocks. A stop-loss ensures you don't lose more money than you're comfortable with, while a take-profit guarantees a certain percentage of return when the stock price hits your target.

This strategy helps minimize your risk in highly volatile market conditions.

Finding a Good Broker on the Market

Choosing a good broker is crucial for successful stock trading. A reliable broker is essential for any investor.

Reliability is key, and not all online stock trading platforms in Indonesia are equally trustworthy. You should do your research to avoid scams.

Look for a broker with an official licence and a long history of successful service. This will give you peace of mind when trading.

Credit: youtube.com, The Best Brokers for Day Trading #stockmarket #daytrading

An advanced security system is also vital to protect your funds. This will help you avoid losing your money.

Read consumer reviews online to get an idea of the broker's strengths and weaknesses. They usually cover key aspects of every brokerage service.

One highly-rated broker in Indonesia is Octa, an online CFD broker. It has been helping traders from all over the world for over a decade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are meme stocks still a thing?

Meme stocks are still a viable market trend, with dedicated indexes tracking their performance. The Solactive Roundhill Meme Stock Index, for example, highlights top-performing meme stocks with impressive one-year returns.

Are meme stocks legal?

Yes, meme stocks are legal as they are actual stocks listed on exchanges, but their legitimacy is often questioned due to their speculative nature and price fluctuations driven by entertainment value rather than fundamentals.

Teresa Halvorson

Senior Writer

Teresa Halvorson is a skilled writer with a passion for financial journalism. Her expertise lies in breaking down complex topics into engaging, easy-to-understand content. With a keen eye for detail, Teresa has successfully covered a range of article categories, including currency exchange rates and foreign exchange rates.

Love What You Read? Stay Updated!

Join our community for insights, tips, and more.