• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil

3

Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026

1

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

2

Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil

3

Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026
TechElon Musk

Elon Musk added 20% to Twitter’s worth in one day. Here are other assets he’s either sparked or sunk with his tweets

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 4, 2022, 11:21 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Twitter shares soared more than 20% on news that Elon Musk has bought a 9% stake in the company—the latest business entity to see its stock head for lunar orbit after the Tesla CEO has shown an interest.

Musk hasn’t tweeted about the purchase yet. News of the stake came via a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

But Musk has had plenty to say about Twitter in the past, specifically about whether the company adheres to free speech patterns.

Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy.

What should be done? https://t.co/aPS9ycji37

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 26, 2022

That has led some analysts to suspect he has more ambitious investment plans for Twitter.

“Musk could try to take a more aggressive stance here on Twitter,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told CNBC’s Squawk Box. “This eventually could lead to some sort of buyout.”

Twitter, though, is hardly the first company to see a big pop because of Musk. With over 80 million followers and his investment track record (plus the cult of personality he has built), his comments carry weight.

Here’s a look at some of the other financial worlds he has influence with just a few words.

Tesla

Musk’s biggest investment has seen its stock both rise and fall due to Musk’s comments.

In 2018 it zoomed 11% after he tweeted his was considering taking the company public at $420, noting he had secured funding. (That tweet eventually earned him a lawsuit from the SEC that cost him a $20 million fine and resulted in him stepping down as chairman for three years.)

Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 7, 2018

His words have brought the share price lower even more frequently, though. Last May, for instance, he brought prices down by 10% after tweeting “Tesla stock price is too high, imo.”

And, in 2018, an attempted April Fool’s joke sunk shares by more than 8%.

Tesla Goes Bankrupt
Palo Alto, California, April 1, 2018 — Despite intense efforts to raise money, including a last-ditch mass sale of Easter Eggs, we are sad to report that Tesla has gone completely and totally bankrupt. So bankrupt, you can't believe it.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 1, 2018

Dogecoin

It’s not a company, of course, but Musk’s passion about this memecoin is well documented. Just a mention can send the crypto soaring, and when he joked about it on Saturday Night Live, it sent prices tumbling 30%.

Musk doesn’t even have to talk specifics about the crypto to make it move. A JPG he posted last February resulted in a 25% jump.

Literally pic.twitter.com/XBAUqiVsPH

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 24, 2021

GameStop

Reddit’s r/wallstreetbets community gets much of the credit for GameStop’s rapid rise, but Musk fanned the flames in a big way on Jan. 26, 2021, tweeting “Gamestonk!” and a link to the subreddit. Shares soared 50%.

Gamestonk!! https://t.co/RZtkDzAewJ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 26, 2021

Etsy

Even off-the-cuff comments can drive stocks. On Jan. 26 last year, Musk tweeted “I kinda love Etsy.” Shares immediately soared by almost 9%, before falling back to normal levels.

I kinda love Etsy

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 26, 2021

Gogo

In October 2021, Musk tweeted he was in talks with airlines about installing his Starlink satellite internet service. There were no announcements of deals or details offered, but rival Gogo saw its shares tumble 5.7%.

Hertz

Last November, Tesla and Hertz were both seeing shares surge on rumors that the car rental company had signed a massive deal with Tesla. Musk popped that balloon with the comment that “no contract has been signed yet.”

You’re welcome!

If any of this is based on Hertz, I’d like to emphasize that no contract has been signed yet.

Tesla has far more demand than production, therefore we will only sell cars to Hertz for the same margin as to consumers.

Hertz deal has zero effect on our economics.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2021

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Microsoft’s emissions surged 25% in 2025 during data center boom
EnvironmentMicrosoft
Microsoft’s emissions surged 25% in 2025 during data center boom
By Matt Day and BloombergJuly 9, 2026
2 hours ago
Peter Cancro shakes oregano over an open sandwich.
RetailFood and drink
Jersey Mike’s $12 billion IPO filing reveals a $50 million payday for the founder’s stepson and a $41 million jet
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 9, 2026
2 hours ago
Meta releases latest update of AI model Muse Spark as tech giant accelerates AI push under Alexandr Wang
AIMeta
Meta releases latest update of AI model Muse Spark as tech giant accelerates AI push under Alexandr Wang
By Ben WeissJuly 9, 2026
3 hours ago
Amazon CTO Werner Vogels speaking on stage.
NewslettersEye on AI
Amazon’s CTO on how developers can ride the AI-powered coding wave
By Beatrice NolanJuly 9, 2026
3 hours ago
‘Sony essentially destroys its own defense’: How its disc-free PS5 plan triggered a $457M lawsuit and  undercut its antitrust defense
LawSony
‘Sony essentially destroys its own defense’: How its disc-free PS5 plan triggered a $457M lawsuit and  undercut its antitrust defense
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 9, 2026
3 hours ago
Fed’s Williams says AI is now his main inflation concern
EconomyFederal Reserve
Fed’s Williams says AI is now his main inflation concern
By Maria Eloisa Capurro and BloombergJuly 9, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
3 days ago
Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
Newsletters
Iran strikes 85 U.S. military sites in the Gulf, sparking a global selloff in stocks and a spike in the price of oil
By Jim EdwardsJuly 8, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of July 8, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 8, 2026
1 day ago
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
4 days ago
Mining CEO worth $24 billion nearly drowned and had to break his own leg in a freak hiking accident—he used the recovery time to go back to school
C-Suite
Mining CEO worth $24 billion nearly drowned and had to break his own leg in a freak hiking accident—he used the recovery time to go back to school
By Eleanor PringleJuly 8, 2026
1 day ago
Investment firm's cofounder sues after being fired for neglecting the in-person work mandate he signed, saying it applies to employees not owners
Law
Investment firm's cofounder sues after being fired for neglecting the in-person work mandate he signed, saying it applies to employees not owners
By Jason MaJuly 5, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.