Stock Market Crash Triggers Meme Fest — 'Orange Is The New Black' And More

A wave of panic swept through global financial markets on Monday triggering sharp sell-offs across Asia and sending Indian stocks into a freefall. Investors scrambled to digest the economic fallout of escalating trade tensions between the United States and China, as tit-for-tat tariff announcements fuelled fears of a looming global recession.

In India, benchmark indices opened deep in the red. The Sensex plunged by over 3,000 points while Nifty 50 sank below the 21,900 mark, reflecting the scale of investor anxiety. The rout erased over Rs 16 lakh crore from the combined market capitalisation of all BSE-listed companies.

But amid the financial chaos, humour made its way online. Social media platforms were flooded with memes — from traders clutching their heads to tongue-in-cheek "Orange Monday" jokes comparing the market meltdown to Donald Trump’s signature hairdo.

One user wrote, "They're saying Orange is the New Black Monday," drawing parallels to the infamous ‘Black Monday’ of 1987.

Another user wrote, "Enjoy the Orange Monday everyone. Let the games begin."

One user also compared the crash to Chennai Super Kings’ current standing in the IPL. At present, CSK is in the ninth spot in the IPL 2025 points table.

Deepak Shenoy, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Capital Mind, stated, "It's gonna be a crazy day."

Across Asia, losses were brutal. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 7.1%. Taiwan’s benchmark index plummeted nearly 10%, while South Korea’s Kospi slid 5.5%. Australia’s ASX 200 suffered a 6.3% drop, and Singapore’s index tumbled 8.5%.

The meltdown followed Wall Street’s catastrophic close on Friday, April 4, where the S&P 500 shed 6%, the Dow Jones lost 5.5% and the Nasdaq dropped 5.8% — its worst single-day drop since the COVID-19 crash.

The latest blow came after Beijing announced a sweeping 34% tariff on all US imports, effective April 10, in response to Trump’s new trade measures.