Tesla Stock TSLA Soars Above $400 on New FSD Software, as Delivery Beat Eases EV Slowdown Fears

Tesla has moved back above $400 after reporting stronger-than-expected second-quarter vehicle deliveries, helping calm concerns about a deeper slowdown in its core electric-vehicle business while reviving optimism around margins, China, and autonomous-driving ambitions.

Tesla Rallies as Investors Refocus on Margins, China, and Autonomy

Quick overview

  • Tesla shares have rebounded above $400 following stronger-than-expected second-quarter vehicle deliveries, alleviating concerns about demand and profitability.
  • The company reported approximately 450,000 global vehicle deliveries, surpassing analyst expectations and indicating resilience in its core EV business.
  • Improving conditions in China, including stabilized production and recovering demand, have further supported Tesla's stock performance.
  • Despite recent gains, Tesla's valuation remains heavily tied to its autonomous-driving ambitions, with future growth dependent on delivery increases and margin stability.

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Tesla has moved back above $400 after reporting stronger-than-expected second-quarter vehicle deliveries, helping calm concerns about a deeper slowdown in its core electric-vehicle business while reviving optimism around margins, China, and autonomous-driving ambitions.

Tesla Returns Above $400

Tesla shares have climbed back above the $400 mark, recovering much of the weakness that had emerged earlier in the year as investors questioned demand, pricing power, and profitability. The rally has been fueled by a combination of better-than-expected delivery numbers, signs of stabilization in China, and continued enthusiasm for the company’s long-term artificial intelligence and autonomy strategy.

The move is notable because it comes during a period of rising volatility across other Elon Musk-linked assets. While some related companies have struggled with financing and valuation concerns, Tesla has benefited from renewed confidence in its core automotive operations and its ability to maintain scale in an increasingly competitive EV market.

Delivery Numbers Beat Expectations

Tesla reported roughly 450,000 global vehicle deliveries for the second quarter, modestly exceeding the consensus estimates of most Wall Street analysts. The result was not a dramatic upside surprise, but it was strong enough to counter fears that earlier price cuts and incentive programs had failed to support demand.

Investors had been particularly worried that shrinking order backlogs and intensifying competition from companies such as BYD and
Hyundai would lead to underutilized factories in Fremont, Shanghai, and Berlin. Instead, the latest figures suggest Tesla is still moving substantial volumes despite the crowded field.

For the market, the key takeaway was that Tesla’s core EV business appears more resilient than many feared only a few months ago.

Tesla Rallies on Full Self-Driving Update as Software Becomes Core Valuation Driver

Tesla Inc. shares jumped after the company released a long-awaited update to its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, reinforcing a growing market pattern where Tesla’s valuation is increasingly driven less by vehicle sales and more by progress in autonomous driving capability. The company continues to pursue a software-first strategy, rolling out incremental improvements across its fleet through over-the-air updates rather than waiting for a fully finished autonomous system.

Version 13 of FSD, launched in December 2024, marked a key milestone and helped fuel investor optimism into early 2025, while a subsequent 10% rally in April 2025 followed regulatory updates from the U.S. Department of Transportation. More recently, a Spring 2026 software update introduced additional AI-driven features aimed at improving system performance, further reinforcing the view that Tesla’s market momentum is increasingly tied to perceived advances in self-driving technology rather than traditional automotive fundamentals.

China Recovery Adds Support

Another important driver of the rebound has been improving conditions in China. Production trends have stabilized, hiring activity has picked up, and demand appears to be recovering after a period of uncertainty.

China remains Tesla’s most important manufacturing hub outside the United States, so any sign of stabilization there carries outsized importance for investors. The Shanghai plant continues to serve both domestic buyers and export markets, making it a critical contributor to overall profitability.

While competition from local manufacturers remains intense, recent operational data have eased concerns that Tesla was losing momentum in the world’s largest EV market.

Margins Show Signs of Stabilizing

Tesla’s latest earnings results also helped reinforce the bullish case. Revenue reached $22.38 billion, while gross margins improved to 21.1%, marking a partial recovery after an extended period of aggressive price reductions.

That margin improvement is significant because investors had become increasingly concerned that Tesla was sacrificing profitability simply to defend market share. The latest results suggest cost controls, manufacturing efficiencies, and a more balanced pricing strategy may be helping stabilize the business.

Still, margins remain vulnerable to further price competition, input-cost inflation, and cyclical shifts in global EV demand.

SPCX Chart Daily – Giving Back Post-IPO Gains

The bond plan comes just days after SpaceX’s blockbuster initial public offering, which raised nearly $86 billion after underwriters exercised the greenshoe option and reportedly minted Elon Musk as the world’s first trillionaire. The rapid shift from euphoric IPO pricing to heavy post-offering selling has injected volatility into what had been one of the market’s most aggressively bid narratives.

Ecosystem Narrative Faces Growing Strain

The combination of Tesla’s strength and SpaceX’s abrupt reversal has exposed the fragility of the broader “Musk ecosystem” trade that had gained traction earlier this year. Investors had increasingly begun to price Tesla, SpaceX, and adjacent ventures as part of a loosely integrated artificial intelligence and infrastructure network, driving synchronized momentum across assets.

However, the recent divergence suggests that capital markets are beginning to reassess the durability of that linkage. While Tesla continues to benefit from operating improvements and strategic optionality, SpaceX’s transition into public markets has introduced new constraints, particularly around leverage expectations and financing transparency.

Tesla Resumes the Upside

Tesla entered the final stretch of 2025 with extraordinary momentum, carrying its share price to a record high just shy of $500. That rally reflected strong enthusiasm around the company’s long-term vision in autonomy, artificial intelligence, and next-generation manufacturing. As often happens after such a sharp advance, however, the stock entered a period of consolidation as investors took profits and reassessed positioning.

Shares retreated roughly 30% from the December peak of $498.80, briefly testing support indicators near the $350 area. The pullback coincided with broader market unease, including the war on Iran from US-Israeli armies.

The sales miss also weighed on TSLA, sending it to $337 but the stock reversed  and we have seen a strong rebound, sending TSLA above $400, which suggests that the larger bullish trend is resuming.

Autonomy Still Drives the Valuation

Despite the operational improvements, much of Tesla’s valuation continues to rest on its autonomous-driving ambitions. CEO
Elon Musk has repeatedly emphasized the company’s goal of expanding fully autonomous capabilities and eventually deploying a large-scale robotaxi network.

Limited driverless operations are already being tested in selected regions, and incremental improvements in Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance systems have helped maintain investor optimism. Even though regulatory approval remains uncertain, many shareholders continue to view autonomy as the company’s largest long-term opportunity.

This “future optionality” remains a powerful support for the stock, often outweighing near-term fluctuations in vehicle deliveries.

A More Fragmented Musk Trade

The broader picture is becoming increasingly uneven. While Tesla has rallied back above $400, other Musk-linked assets have experienced sharp volatility following financing announcements and changing capital structures. The contrast highlights that investors are no longer treating the entire Musk ecosystem as a single trade.

For Tesla, the combination of stronger deliveries, improving China trends, and stabilizing margins has been enough to restore confidence. However, the rally still depends heavily on sentiment around artificial intelligence and autonomy rather than a clear acceleration in vehicle growth.

As a result, Tesla’s return above $400 represents both an operational recovery and a renewed narrative-driven bid. Whether the stock can hold those gains will likely depend on future delivery growth, margin stability, and continued progress toward autonomous driving.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR See More
Skerdian Meta
Lead Analyst
Skerdian Meta Lead Analyst. Skerdian is a professional Forex trader and a market analyst. He has been actively engaged in market analysis for the past 11 years. Before becoming our head analyst, Skerdian served as a trader and market analyst in Saxo Bank's local branch, Aksioner. Skerdian specialized in experimenting with developing models and hands-on trading. Skerdian has a masters degree in finance and investment.

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