NEW YORK, Jan 17, 2026, 09:51 ET — Market closed
- Tesla shares closed Friday roughly 0.2% lower after regulators broadened their U.S. investigation into Full Self-Driving.
- U.S. stock markets remain closed Monday; they reopen for trading on Tuesday.
- All eyes are on earnings due Jan. 28 and the effects of post-options expiry flows as the upcoming triggers.
Tesla shares dipped on Friday following news that U.S. auto safety regulators extended the deadline for the electric-vehicle maker to respond to questions about its Full Self-Driving system. The stock ended the day at $437.50.
The timing is crucial since Tesla’s push into autonomy remains a key part of its stock narrative, and any doubts about its driver-assistance software can quickly hit its valuation. Investors are also facing a long weekend, limiting opportunities to react to news.
U.S. stock and options markets will shut down Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Trading is scheduled to restart Tuesday.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has pushed back Tesla’s deadline to respond on critical issues until Feb. 23. The extension came after Tesla requested more time to sift through records related to potential traffic-law breaches with Full Self-Driving activated. According to the agency, Tesla reported 8,313 records still pending review and said it can handle around 300 daily.
The probe piles onto ongoing questions about advanced driver-assistance systems, where legal and technical issues often spill beyond initial boundaries. NHTSA’s request arrives as Tesla grapples with other probes, including delayed crash reporting and faulty door handles, the regulator said.
Option positioning could complicate the next move more than the last. Brent Kochuba, founder of options analytics firm SpotGamma, said, “I think this options expiration will allow the S&P 500 to start moving around a bit more.” Mike Khouw, strategist at YieldMax ETFs, added that options “are probably going to weigh more heavily on the price action” in individual stocks as big blocks roll off. Tesla is among those with a notable chunk of open options expiring, Reuters reported. Reuters
Investors tracking Tesla’s big-picture moves got another clue as Hyundai Motor Group announced plans to bring Milan Kovac on board. Kovac, who once led Tesla’s humanoid robot program, will serve as an adviser and is set to be nominated as an outside director at Boston Dynamics. Hyundai says this step aims to sharpen its edge in robotics and AI.
The personnel change might be minor in market-cap impact, yet it hits a delicate nerve. Tesla supporters have pinned hopes on robotics and autonomy driving the next surge; any shift in that talent pool draws attention.
Tesla is set to release its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings after the market closes on Wednesday, Jan. 28. The company also plans a webcast later that day, according to an SEC filing.
The downside is clear: regulators might tighten rules around Full Self-Driving. If Tesla’s next report shows weaker margins or less cash flow, the stock—already priced for flawless execution—could take a hit. For Tesla, the difference between promising “it’s coming” and actually “shipping” remains crucial.
Markets reopen Tuesday, and all eyes will be on whether the regulatory news holds up or gets swept aside by the overall risk sentiment. Beyond that, the next major dates to watch are Tesla’s earnings report on Jan. 28 and the Feb. 23 deadline tied to the NHTSA investigation.
