Updated: Nov 12, 2025, 18:45 UTC
Key takeaways
- TSLA trades at $431.19 (-1.9%) early afternoon, with a day range of $426.63–$442.89 after opening at $442.02. Volume has topped 40.6M shares.
- A broad rotation out of mega-cap tech has the Nasdaq lagging; Tesla is down 2.3%–2.6% intraday alongside Alphabet and Meta, according to Reuters’ midday market update. 1
- October EV sales were tougher than expected: industry tracking highlighted by Barron’s shows ~23% year-over-year declines across key markets, raising questions about Q4 deliveries momentum. 2
- Robotaxi competition is in the headlines today: Alphabet’s Waymo rolled out freeway robotaxi service in San Francisco, LA and Phoenix—an autonomy milestone that sharpens comparisons with Tesla’s own robotaxi push. 3
Tesla stock price, at a glance
As of 18:41 UTC (1:41 p.m. ET), Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is down 1.9% at $431.19, off an intraday high of $442.89. The stock opened at $442.02, with today’s low at $426.63. Yesterday’s close was $439.62.
The move comes amid a mixed market: the Dow is higher while the Nasdaq lags as investors trim tech exposure. Reuters notes Tesla shares are among the notable decliners, sliding roughly 2–3% intraday. 1
What’s driving TSLA today
1) Fresh October sales checks dampen sentiment
Barron’s highlights sell-side tracking that points to ~23% YoY October declines across major regions (North America, Europe, China, South Korea), challenging the near‑term delivery trajectory into the holiday quarter. The note cautions that Q4 delivery expectations (≈440k) are harder to hit after Q3’s ~500k. Pre‑market strength faded as investors digested the data. 2
2) Macro rotation out of tech
While single‑name news always matters for Tesla, today’s tape is macro‑led. A broad fade in large‑cap tech is pressuring the Nasdaq; Reuters flags Tesla among names down 2.3%–2.6% intraday as investors favor financials and defensives. 1
3) Autonomy narrative faces fresh comparison
On the competitive front, Waymo launched freeway robotaxi service in key California and Arizona corridors today. It’s a symbolic step for autonomy rivals and a reminder that Tesla’s own robotaxi ambitions are being benchmarked against live, paid services. That headline backdrop isn’t helping Tesla’s AI/robotaxi premium in today’s session. 3
The week’s context that still matters
- China softness: Earlier this week, Reuters reported China retail sales of 26,006 units in October, the lowest in three years and down 35.8% YoY, even as Shanghai exports rose. That trend keeps a spotlight on demand and mix into year‑end. 4
- People moves: Reuters also reported two program leads departing—the Model Y program manager and the Cybertruck lead—adding to execution questions around core products. 5
- Governance & strategy overhang: Last week’s shareholder approval of Elon Musk’s new pay package remains the defining storyline. A separate, non‑binding proposal to authorize an investment in Musk’s xAI did not pass, with significant abstentions; the board said it would examine next steps. 6
- Capacity & chips: Musk has signaled Tesla may need a “gigantic chip fab” to support its autonomy roadmap—another capital‑intensive pillar investors are handicapping. 7
What to watch next
- Closing print & breadth: If the tech rotation persists into the close, Tesla’s finish relative to the $426–$443 intraday range will set the tone for Thursday. 1
- Delivery math: Any additional October/November registration data—especially from China and Europe—will feed the Q4 deliveries narrative the Street is triangulating. 2
- Autonomy milestones: With Waymo’s freeway expansion live, investors will look for Tesla robotaxi updates (cities, permits, safety‑driver status) and clarity on chip sourcing/fab plans. 3
- xAI decision path: Even though the xAI authorization proposal failed, management indicated it would evaluate the outcome—expect questions about any form of collaboration or investment on the next update. 6
Bottom line
Today’s TSLA weakness is more about the tape than a single Tesla headline. But October’s softer sales checks plus a high‑profile robotaxi rival milestone aren’t helping. Layer in China demand questions and ongoing governance/AI strategy debates, and you get a market that’s asking Tesla to prove the Q4 path—and to quantify the timeline to autonomous monetization.
For now, traders are respecting the $430s as a battleground while macro flows (and fresh datapoints on deliveries and autonomy) set the next move. 1
This article is for information only and is not investment advice. All prices and market data as noted.
