New York, January 22, 2026, 09:34 EST — Regular session
- Tesla shares climbed in early trading after investors digested Musk’s remarks on ramping up Cybercab and Optimus production
- Insurer Lemonade announced plans to reduce rates for Tesla drivers when Full Self-Driving is active, leveraging vehicle data
- Focus shifts to Musk’s Davos appearance and Tesla’s earnings report set for Jan. 28
Tesla shares climbed 1.3% to $437.16 in early Thursday trading, building on a rebound following comments from CEO Elon Musk. He warned the initial rollout of the Cybercab robotaxi and Optimus humanoid robot would be “agonizingly slow.” Tesla remains on track to begin volume production of the Cybercab in 2026, with Optimus output expected “hopefully” later this year. Much of Tesla’s roughly $1.39 trillion market value hinges on bets around self-driving technology and robotics. 1
Attention turns to Tesla’s Q4 earnings, set to drop after market close on Jan. 28, followed by a live Q&A webcast that same day. Investors want updates on timelines, capex, and any shifts in the company’s stance on autonomy—especially after the rocky start for high-growth stocks. 2
Wall Street notched its largest one-day percentage gain in two months on Wednesday, boosted by news of a Greenland framework agreement that eased tariff worries. Then on Thursday, U.S. data showed the jobs market holding firm and third-quarter growth coming in a bit stronger than first estimated. 3
Late Wednesday, digital insurer Lemonade announced a 50% cut in pay-per-mile insurance rates for Tesla drivers when Full Self-Driving is in control, leveraging vehicle telemetry to distinguish assisted driving from human input. “We’re looking at this in extremely high resolution,” Lemonade co-founder Shai Wininger told Reuters. Full Self-Driving, a Level 2 driver-assistance system requiring drivers to stay alert and ready to intervene, will see this offering launch in Arizona on Jan. 26, with expansion planned for Oregon in February. 4
Musk is set to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. local time (1530 GMT), sharing the stage with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, per the latest schedule. 5
On Wednesday, Tesla pushed back against reports claiming a sharp cut in staff at its Berlin-area plant. The company said permanent headcount had stayed largely unchanged since 2024 and production levels remained steady. 6
Tesla shares rose 2.9% on Wednesday, closing at $431.44 after a sharp 4.2% drop the previous day, Investor’s Business Daily reported. The stock remains roughly 13.5% below its December high. Analysts are forecasting fourth-quarter earnings per share near $0.45, with revenue around $24.76 billion, the report said. 7
Regulatory hurdles remain a challenge. This month, U.S. auto safety officials gave Tesla additional time to respond to a federal probe examining if cars using Full Self-Driving broke traffic laws while the feature was active, according to a Reuters report. 8
Tesla’s next major event comes Jan. 28, when it reports earnings and Elon Musk fields questions on the company’s outlook, including any revised targets for Cybercab and Optimus production in 2026. Ahead of that, traders will look for new clues from Musk’s appearance at Davos later Thursday.
