Tesla Stock Rises Friday Despite Product Setbacks And Policy Risks

Tesla Inc TSLA shares are surging higher by about 5% to $298.96 on Friday, capping off a strong week driven by broader market optimism after the U.S. signed a landmark trade agreement with the U.K.

The deal, which slashed tariffs on British cars and boosted Boeing Co aircraft orders, fueled investor confidence this week.

What To Know: However, Tesla's Friday gains came despite mixed company-specific news for the week. The EV giant canceled its $16,000 Cybertruck range extender this week, citing a shift in product plans.

The decision follows reports of over 10,000 unsold Cybertrucks in inventory, as Tesla pivots marketing to emphasize utility and offers incentives such as free Full Self-Driving trials.

Read Also: Boeing Stock Rises On $10 Billion UK Aircraft Deal in Landmark Trade Pact

Compounding uncertainty, House Republicans hinted at eliminating the federal EV tax credit, a move that could hit Tesla and other automakers relying on the $7,500 incentive to drive sales. The proposed cut comes amid rising EV adoption, with first-quarter sales up 10.6% year-over-year.

Adding to the headwinds, the U.S. Patent Office denied Tesla's trademark bid for "Robotaxi," deeming it too generic, even as the company prepares for a limited autonomous taxi launch in Austin.

Despite these hurdles, investors appeared buoyed by macroeconomic momentum this week and optimism around future tax cuts, driving the EV stock higher Friday.

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How To Buy TSLA Stock

By now you're likely curious about how to participate in the market for Tesla – be it to purchase shares, or even attempt to bet against the company.

Buying shares is typically done through a brokerage account. You can find a list of possible trading platforms here. Many will allow you to buy “fractional shares,” which allows you to own portions of stock without buying an entire share.

In the case of Tesla, which is trading at $298.96 as of publishing time, $100 would buy you 0.33 shares of stock.

If you're looking to bet against a company, the process is more complex. You'll need access to an options trading platform, or a broker who will allow you to “go short” a share of stock by lending you the shares to sell. The process of shorting a stock can be found at this resource. Otherwise, if your broker allows you to trade options, you can either buy a put option, or sell a call option at a strike price above where shares are currently trading – either way it allows you to profit off of the share price decline.

According to data from Benzinga Pro, TSLA has a 52-week high of $488.54 and a 52-week low of $157.40.