What are stonks and where did the GameStop meme come from?
A CONFUSED Dionne Warwick asked on Twitter, "what are stonks and why is it a trending subject?"
The unusual word has cropped up repeatedly after speculative fever swept America's financial markets, spurred by online traders of Reddit's WallStreetBets group.
What are stonks?
'Stonks' is an intentional misspelling of “stocks” that originated with an internet meme.
Memes are ideas or concepts that spread through online sharing. These can be pictures, videos, or words and phrases.
In the case of 'stonks', the meme was a picture of a man in a suit, standing in front of many numbers, alongside a big, orange arrow.
It's subtitled 'stonks'.
Their all-out assault on the "one-percenters hoarding the world's wealth" introduced many in the wider public - who don't dabble in shares - to slang, including the word 'stonks'.
The website adds that Meme Man was shown "standing in front of a picture representing the stock market by the caption 'Stonks'.
Where did the GameStop meme come from?
The 'stonks' meme has become an emblem of the current GameStop trading frenzy.
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Because of Reddit forum r/WallStreetBets - which prompted the for the computer game retailer - 'stonks' has become a popular word in 2021.
This is due to it appearing in online discussion aimed at amplifying unlikely stocks for GameStop, Blackberry and cinema chain AMC Entertainment.