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PM Modis Melody gift to Meloni sends wrong Parle stock soaring

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 20 May 2026, 10:26 pm

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Wednesday, social media reacted exactly as expected.

The internet was quickly flooded with “Melodi” memes — the now-viral nickname blending “Meloni” and “Modi”.

This time, PM Modi decided to play along.

In a light-hearted gesture, he gifted Meloni a packet of Melody toffees, the iconic chocolate-caramel candy sold by Parle Products.

The moment quickly exploded online. But what happened next caught Dalal Street completely off guard.

Investors rush to buy ‘Parle’ stock

Soon after videos and reels of the exchange went viral, investors began searching for “Parle” stocks on the BSE.

What they found was Parle Industries — and many apparently started buying shares immediately.

There was only one problem: Parle Industries has absolutely no connection with Melody toffees.

The company is involved in infrastructure, real estate, paper and recycling businesses. It neither manufactures candies nor has any link to the makers of Melody.

The actual company behind Melody — Parle Products — is privately owned and not listed on the stock market.

A viral reel, a Re 1 toffee and a 5% rally

Even as broader markets struggled amid concerns linked to the Iran conflict, Parle Industries suddenly became one of the day’s unlikely gainers.

The stock jumped nearly 5 per cent within an hour, rising from Rs 4.95 to Rs 5.25 after the “Melodi” moment went viral online.

There were no earnings announcements, no large business deals and no major corporate updates driving the rally.

Instead, a diplomatic photo-op and a packet of toffees appeared to trigger a burst of mistaken buying activity.

Social media frenzy meets retail trading

The bizarre rally once again highlighted how viral trends and meme culture are increasingly spilling into retail investing behaviour.

Over the last year, Parle Industries shares had actually fallen nearly 68 per cent. But for one trading session, thanks to a candy gift exchanged between two world leaders, the stock briefly became the market’s sweetest performer.

All it took was a Re 1 toffee and a viral nickname.