**Trump Media Stock Surges Ahead of US Presidential Election**

Shares associated with former President Donald Trump's social media company saw a significant increase on the last day before the US presidential election. Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT), the parent company of Truth Social, experienced a remarkable 12% rise on Monday, with no clear catalyst identified for this sudden surge.

The stock has demonstrated considerable volatility since its public debut in March. Initially, it witnessed a quadrupling in value over five weeks, only to plummet by 41% in the following three trading sessions. Traders often treat Trump's stock as an indicator of his chances of reelection; a potential second term for Trump could elevate Truth Social's role as a key communication platform, reminiscent of Trump's use of Twitter during his presidency. Conversely, a win for Vice President Kamala Harris could spell significant challenges for Truth Social's business prospects.

Fundamentally, the company's business performance remains limited, particularly when compared to rival platforms like X, TikTok, and Instagram. Trump Media & Technology Group has been grappling with a cash crunch, reporting less than $1 million in revenue for the past quarter. Despite the tight presidential race reflected in polls, online betting markets have recently tilted in Trump's favor, which market analysts believe contributed to the company's stock surge.

As online betting markets showed Harris gaining ground, Trump's media stock faced a steep decline, erasing $2.4 billion from Trump's net worth between Wednesday and Friday. Monday's gains, however, restored over $400 million to his net worth. While Trump's election chances on betting sites edged up on Monday, it remains unclear if the stock gains were directly influenced by this trend, given that no specific company announcements were made nor statements from Trump that could have influenced investors.

The stock is often considered a "meme stock," prone to speculative and unpredictable movements. In contrast, the broader stock market on Monday exhibited less volatility. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 258 points, or 0.6%, while both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq saw a 0.3% decline after spending portions of the day in positive territory.