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Bullish +65

Tesla stock rebounds 3% after Friday's brutal selloff: what's behind the move?

📈 Tesla shares rose ~3% to $403.65 in early Monday trading, recovering from a 6.6% Friday drop caused by a tech sector selloff.

🚀 Investor attention is focused on SpaceX's record-setting IPO expected Thursday, which could lift sentiment for Musk-linked assets.

🤝 Prediction markets show a 50% probability of a Tesla-SpaceX merger before May 2027, adding optionality to the stock.

🇨🇳 China retail sales rebounded with a 22.5% year-over-year increase in May, ending a two-month decline and stabilizing demand.

📊 JPMorgan upgraded Tesla to Neutral from Underweight, highlighting vertical integration and AI capabilities as key strengths.

🤖 Analyst Rajat Gupta noted that using factories as test beds for Optimus robotics could lower costs and validate products at scale.

⚠️ Key risk involves a potential disappointment in SpaceX IPO pricing or trading which could trigger a risk-off reversal.

📉 A renewed slide in China demand or a price war could wipe out recent stabilization and force another earnings downgrade.

Bullish Signals
  • Tesla stock rebounded 3% to $403.65 as investors pivoted from rate fears to the high-profile SpaceX IPO event.
  • China retail sales surged 22.5% year-over-year in May, marking the first annual growth since February and ending a two-month decline.
  • JPMorgan upgraded Tesla to Neutral from Underweight, citing undervaluation of its vertically integrated supply chain and AI/robotics potential.
  • Analyst Rajat Gupta highlighted that automotive factories serve as test beds for Optimus robots, potentially lowering costs and validating products at industrial scale.
  • The broader market rally provided a supportive backdrop, with the Nasdaq advancing 1.2% and the S&P 500 gaining 0.7%.
Risk Factors
  • Tesla faces the risk of a sharp reversal if the SpaceX IPO pricing or early trading disappoints, potentially dragging down options prices.
  • The stock remains vulnerable to a renewed slide in Chinese demand or a price war that could erase the May stabilization gains.
  • Friday's decline was driven by broader tech selloffs linked to elevated interest rate concerns following a strong US jobs report.
Full Analysis
Tesla stock rebounded approximately 3% in early Monday trading, reaching $403.65, after a sharp 6.6% decline on Friday driven by a broader technology selloff linked to strong US jobs data and interest rate concerns. The wider market also recovered, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.7% and the Nasdaq advancing 1.2%, as investors shifted focus toward upcoming corporate developments. The primary driver of this positive sentiment is the highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) of SpaceX, led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The market is increasingly viewing Tesla through the lens of Musk's broader empire, with speculation regarding a potential merger between the two companies adding to the narrative. Betting markets currently assign a 50% probability to a merger occurring before May 2027. Beyond the SpaceX headline, Tesla received fundamental support from improving sales figures in China and a notable analyst rating change. Retail vehicle sales in China rose 22.5% year-over-year in May, ending a two-month decline. Additionally, JPMorgan upgraded its rating on Tesla to Neutral from Underweight, citing the company's vertically integrated supply chain and growing artificial intelligence capabilities as key factors. Despite the bullish rebound, risks remain centered on potential volatility related to the SpaceX IPO pricing and ongoing competition in China. If the IPO disappoints or if Chinese demand slides again due to a price war, Tesla could face renewed pressure. The stock's performance is currently heavily influenced by sentiment spillover from Musk's other ventures rather than isolated automotive fundamentals.