An aerial view of a Tesla dealership in Hamilton, Canada, on March 20, 2025.
Katherine Ky Cheng | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Tesla shares are headed for their best day in 2025 after falling for nine consecutive weeks due to rising controversy surrounding CEO Elon Musk’s political activities.
Shares were last up more than 10%. The stock is on pace for its best day since Nov. 6, 2024, the day following President Donald Trump’s victory in the election, making it the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 for the day. Nonetheless, shares are still trading more than 44% below their all-time high from December.
Tesla shares on Monday
The stock has sold off heavily over the past few months amid rising consumer boycotts and plummeting demand globally due to Musk’s rise as a right-wing political figure. There have been multiple incidents of vandalism and arson across Tesla showrooms and charging stations in the U.S. and Europe.
Morgan Stanley recently cited this trend as it slashed its first-quarter delivery estimates. It now predicts a decline of 9% year over year, due to negative brand sentiment and more intense competition.
Tesla shares also benefited from an uptick in broader market sentiment Monday, after The Wall Street Journal reported Trump’s reciprocal tariffs starting April 2 may be more targeted than previously expected. Tariffs on industrial sectors are now unlikely to be announced then, the report stated. Certain nations may also be excluded from the tariffs, according to a separate report from Bloomberg. Both the Journal and Bloomberg reports noted that the situation remains fluid and the plans could change.
Musk recently addressed the heavy sell-off to Tesla employees. At an all-hands meeting last Thursday evening, Musk told employees to “hang onto your stock.” He also stated the company’s signature Model Y would be the “best-selling car on Earth again this year.”
Correction: Morgan Stanley predicts Tesla first-quarter deliveries will fall more than 9% from the prior year. An earlier version of this story misstated the estimate.
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