On The Daily (OTD) - 21st April 2025

Top Stories Today: Tesla and U.S. Stocks.

Table of Contents

Top Stories Today

Tesla

Tesla shares declined nearly 6% on Monday, continuing a rough year ahead of its Q1 earnings report. The stock, now down 44% in 2024, faces mounting pressure as analysts cite brand damage, weak China demand, and the fallout from CEO Elon Musk’s political involvement with the Trump administration. Deliveries for the quarter fell 13% year over year, and expectations for both revenue and profit remain muted. Investor concerns are growing around Tesla’s delayed robotaxi, Full Self-Driving tech, and Optimus robot. Analysts warn of declining interest among U.S. and European consumers, while Chinese competition and tariffs could further strain margins. Musk is expected to address these issues during Tuesday’s earnings call.

U.S. Stocks

U.S. stocks declined Monday as President Trump escalated criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, calling for immediate interest rate cuts and questioning the central bank's independence. The Dow fell 971.82 points (2.48%) to 38,170.41, while the S&P 500 dropped 2.36% and the Nasdaq slid 2.55%. Key tech names like Tesla, Nvidia, and Amazon pulled the market lower. Trump's comments sparked concerns about political interference at the Fed and sent the dollar to a three-year low, while gold surged above $3,400. Meanwhile, stalled trade negotiations and growing tensions with China added to investor unease. Since Trump's April 2 tariff announcement, all three indexes have lost roughly 9–10%, reflecting growing uncertainty about economic direction and future corporate performance.

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