Orlando Shootings Generate Record Surge In Gun Control Social Chatter

According to the latest data from TickerTags, the Pulse Nightclub shooting has social media buzzing about gun control like never before.

TickerTags monitors social media sites to identify trends by searching for words or phrases that appear together in social media content, such as tweets.

The Orlando tragedy, which is the largest mass shooting in the history of the U.S., was devastating news to friends and families of the victims. While a public outcry for gun control laws following emotional gun-related murders is nothing new, anti-gun social media activity following the Orlando shooting has been unprecedented.

Related Link: Orlando Shooting: How Past Acts Of Terror Affected Stock Markets

This kind of negative publicity related to guns during an election year could be good news for gun makers like Sturm, Ruger & Company RGR and Smith & Wesson Holding Corp SWHC in the near-term, as gun buyers concerned about the potential for stricter gun laws typically react by buying more guns.

In fact, peak Twitter mentions of “gun” + “control” following the Orlando shootings more than doubled the peak Twitter mentions following the San Bernardino shootings.

The spike in social media gun control chatter on June 17-18 of 2015 triggered a 6 percent surge in Smith & Wesson’s share price in the days that followed.

Both Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Ruger opened the week up more than 6 percent.

Disclosure: the author holds no position in the stocks mentioned.