Tesla shares partially recovered on Friday after a dramatic 14% plunge the day before, but the stocks are still under pressure from political conflict and market issues.
The previous day’s $150 billion loss in market value was triggered not by Tesla’s business fundamentals, but by a public disagreement between CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump.
While the shares bounced back around 5% in Frankfurt trading, Tesla’s sustainability is now being questioned.
The clash erupted over Trump’s budget proposal, which threatens to cut electric vehicle subsidies and federal contracts that Tesla relies on. Musk’s outspoken objection to the administration provoked a rare and public counterattack from Trump, who professed to end government support for Musk’s ventures.
White House officials reportedly arranged a call with Musk to ease tensions, but analysts caution this may only be a temporary solution.
Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index, said, “It’s unlikely that Trump will end subsidies and contracts with Tesla. Those are obviously threats that are unlikely to come into fruition. I don’t expect this to blow out into anything more serious than a war of words for a couple of days.” Still, there are uncertainties.
Beyond the political noise, Tesla faces practical challenges. Its market share in China and Europe is slipping, and the upcoming launch of its Robotaxi in Austin has raised doubts among investors.
Garrett Nelson, senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, noted, “We think the stock’s sell-off reflects a number of other factors: an unjustified run-up following its Q1 earnings release, ongoing market share losses in China and Europe, and a realization that next week’s Robotaxi launch in Austin could disappoint. We remain at Hold, expecting more volatility in the near term. Buckle up!”
Tesla’s valuation has been hit hard. Despite still being among Wall Street’s biggest companies, the stock has dropped from the elite $1 trillion club to ninth place by market value, trailing firms like Berkshire Hathaway and Broadcom. Elon Musk’s personal wealth also shrank, losing $27 billion in one day.
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