Tesla Stock Daily Drive

December 22, 2025 • Finance

Hosted by Dusty

About This Episode

Generated finance podcast with host Dusty based on prompt: Daily stock movements for Tesla. Focus on the stock, but provide any important background information that is necessary.

Transcript

Welcome to "Tesla Stock Daily Drive," I'm Dusty, taking you on a journey through the electrifying world of Tesla's stock from December 15th to December 19th, 2025. Buckle up, as we rev up through the market’s highs and lows, and look at what’s steering Tesla into the future.

Kicking off on Monday, December 15th, Tesla shares jolted from the starting line, moving up 3.56% to close at $475.31. This surge in Tesla’s stock was fueled by CEO Elon Musk’s announcement about testing the robotaxi fleet without in-car safety monitors in Austin. A viral video showcased Tesla's unsupervised Full Self-Driving operation, sending excitement rippling through the market. Analyst Daniel Ives from Wedbush fanned the flames by reiterating a $600 price target, predicting a massive year ahead with the scaling of robotaxi and AI initiatives.

Rolling into Tuesday, the momentum continued. Tesla shares soared another 3.07%, closing at a record $489.88. The AI and robotics prospects seemed to refill investors’ tanks with optimism. There was also chatter about the upcoming Cybercab robotaxi and the scent of a potential SpaceX IPO boosting Musk's ecosystem. MarketWatch even spotlighted Tesla rejoining the "Magnificent Seven," with its market cap inching towards $1.63 trillion.

But on Wednesday, the ride hit a bump. Tesla’s stock reversed course, dropping 4.62% to $467.26 amid a broader AI sector selloff. The skid was sped along by a new AI-chip startup shaking things up, and regulatory scrutiny from California’s DMV, demanding Tesla revise its FSD marketing. Despite long-term optimism, these hurdles had some investors tapping the brakes.

Thursday saw a rebound, the stock climbing 3.45% to settle at $483.37. The recovery was a relief, as analysts pointed out Tesla might actually benefit from evolving AI innovation. The day brought good news from Mizuho, which lifted its price target, betting on increased FSD renewals and Cybertruck demand to drive growth.

On Friday, the mood was cautious. Tesla closed the day down by 0.45% at $481.20. Pre-market whispers revealed Tesla sold 1,000 to 2,000 Cybertrucks to SpaceX. While significant, broader market fatigue and low holiday liquidity kept gains in check.

Reflecting on the week, we saw Tesla’s stock influenced by the tug-of-war between long-term ambitions in autonomy and AI, and immediate regulatory and sector-wide volatility. With a hefty market cap around $1.6 trillion, Tesla's future valuation swings between ambitious forecasts of $3 trillion by 2026 and the roadblocks in commercializing full autonomy.

Looking ahead, traders are keenly observing year-end volume trends, any movements with the California DMV, and sentiment shifts in the tech sector as the year winds down.

Before I sign off, remember to keep your eyes on both the headlights and the rearview. As we navigate through the drive of investment, the path is carved out by innovation and challenges. Until next time, when the dust settles, only the truth remains.

Below is a detailed day-by-day review of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) stock movements from Monday, December 15 through Friday, December 19, 2025 (no trading on December 20–21 due to weekend), along with key catalysts and background context.

Monday, December 15, 2025
Tesla shares opened at \$469.44 and surged 3.56% to close at \$475.31 on heavy volume (114.5 million shares), marking their strongest one-day gain in weeks. Investor enthusiasm was driven by CEO Elon Musk’s confirmation that Tesla is testing its robotaxi fleet without in-car safety monitors in Austin, Texas, following a viral video demonstrating unsupervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) operation. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives reiterated a \$600 price target, forecasting a “monster year” in 2026 as robotaxi and AI initiatives scale up. ([stockanalysis.com](https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/tsla/history/?utm_source=openai))

Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Building on the previous day’s momentum, TSLA climbed another 3.07% to an intraday high of \$491.50 and a close of \$489.88—its first record close in nearly a year. Investors cited renewed confidence in Tesla’s AI and robotics roadmap, including expectations around the upcoming Cybercab robotaxi and the potential SpaceX IPO boosting Musk’s ecosystem. The stock’s rally was further supported by a MarketWatch feature highlighting Tesla re-entering the “Magnificent Seven” cohort with a market capitalization approaching \$1.63 trillion. ([stockanalysis.com](https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/tsla/history/?utm_source=openai))

Wednesday, December 17, 2025
After two consecutive days of gains, Tesla shares reversed sharply, falling 4.62% to \$467.26 on volume of 106.2 million. The pullback was attributed to a broader AI-sector selloff triggered by the emergence of a new AI-chip startup and profit-taking at multi-month highs. Analysts also pointed to heightened regulatory scrutiny—California’s DMV had just ordered Tesla to revise “Full Self-Driving” marketing or face a sales ban, underscoring potential near-term headwinds even as long-term robotaxi prospects remain compelling. ([stockanalysis.com](https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/tsla/history/?utm_source=openai))

Thursday, December 18, 2025
Tesla staged a strong rebound, climbing 3.45% to \$483.37 on lighter volume (90.5 million). The recovery relieved some concerns from the prior day’s AI jitters; Barron’s noted that Tesla, as an end-user of AI compute, may actually benefit from innovations spurred by startups like Mythic. Mid-day, Mizuho lifted its price target from \$475 to \$530, citing improved visibility on FSD renewals and accelerating Cybertruck demand. ([stockanalysis.com](https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/tsla/history/?utm_source=openai))

Friday, December 19, 2025
Shares gave back 0.45%, settling at \$481.20 on volume of 93.8 million, as traders locked in gains and positioned cautiously ahead of year-end. Notably, pre-market reports indicated Tesla had sold 1,000–2,000 Cybertrucks to SpaceX for roughly \$80–\$160 million, a symbolic intra-Musk transaction underscoring the Cybertruck’s strategic value even amid mixed retail uptake. Despite that catalyst, broader market fatigue and holiday-thin liquidity capped upside by the close. ([stockanalysis.com](https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/tsla/history/?utm_source=openai))

Weekend (December 20–21, 2025)
No trading took place on Saturday or Sunday, December 20–21, as U.S. markets were closed for the weekend.

Key Weekly Data Snapshot

| Date | Open | High | Low | Close | Change (%) | Volume |
|--------------|---------|----------|----------|---------|------------|--------------|
| Dec 15, 2025 | 469.44 | 481.77 | 467.66 | 475.31 | +3.56% | 114,542,204 |
| Dec 16, 2025 | 472.21 | 491.50 | 465.83 | 489.88 | +3.07% | 107,608,075 |
| Dec 17, 2025 | 488.22 | 495.28 | 466.20 | 467.26 | −4.62% | 106,225,778 |
| Dec 18, 2025 | 478.16 | 490.86 | 473.12 | 483.37 | +3.45% | 90,473,390 |
| Dec 19, 2025 | 488.12 | 490.49 | 474.72 | 481.20 | −0.45% | 93,835,026 |

(Data: Yahoo Finance; see turn0search2.)

Background & Outlook
Over the week, Tesla’s stock oscillated on the twin narratives of transformative long-term growth via autonomous robotaxis, AI and energy ventures, against near-term regulatory scrutiny and sector-wide volatility in tech. With Tesla’s market cap hovering around \$1.6 trillion—making it one of the U.S.’s largest companies—analysts remain divided on the pace at which FSD and robotaxi rollouts will translate into substantial revenue. Wedbush sees a potential \$3 trillion valuation by end-2026, contingent on successful pilot programs and regulatory approvals, while skeptics point to persistent hurdles in commercializing full autonomy. As 2025 winds down, traders will watch closely for year-end volume trends, any updates on the California DMV mandate, and holiday-period sentiment shifts in the broader tech sector. ([marketwatch.com](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/teslas-stock-finally-clinches-a-milestone-almost-a-year-in-the-making-aceaf620?utm_source=openai))

Tesla Stock Daily Drive