Gun stocks soar as riots, looting erupt across America

Gun-related stocks soared on Monday after a weekend of civil unrest stretching from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles.

Gunmakers American Outdoor Brands and Sturm, Ruger & Co., ammunition maker Vista Outdoor and police body cam and Taser stun gun maker Axon Enterprise were all trading sharply higher as investors priced in the possibility the violence could propel already surging sales.

Americans flocked to gun stores as states began issuing stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 amid concerns the stores would be deemed nonessential and forced to temporarily close their doors.

April gun sales spiked 71 percent from a year ago to nearly 1.8 million, according to data released by Small Arms Analytics and Forecasting. That followed an 85 percent year-over-year gain in March.