Tesla (
TSLA
) shares rallied this week
alongside the broader market
, with the electric vehicle maker's stock posting gains for the
fourth consecutive week
.
Shares added 2% to close at just under $350 Friday, bringing the week's gains up to 17%. Still, the stock has lost about 13% since the start of the year.
Positive macro news like last week's trade deal with
the United Kingdom
and this week's
temporary tariff reduction
between the U.S. and China has outweighed recent downbeat news for Tesla, like declining sales and registrations in China and several countries across Europe.
Tesla's brand has been
battered in recent months
as protests have targeted the automaker over Musk's involvement in the Trump administration. Analysts called for Musk to step away from the government work
leading up to
last month's earnings call, with
some saying Tesla had sustained
"unprecedented brand damage."
Many investors are looking forward to updates on Tesla's plans for a more affordable model, and when the EV maker will start offering paid rides in autonomous Tesla vehicles in Austin, Texas. CEO Elon Musk said in
last month's earnings call
that both would
likely take place
on schedule by the end of June, and he also committed to
spending more time at the company
starting this month.