Tesla Stock Rises. 2 Reasons It’s Bouncing Back After Autopilot Crash Ruling.

Tesla stock has plummeted 25% this year amid concerns about weaker deliveries and CEO Elon Musk’s political activities. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Tesla stock was paring back some recent losses on Monday, as investors shrugged off more self-driving controversy and bet on Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts.

Shares in the electric-vehicle maker climbed 0.9% to $305.30 ahead of the opening bell. Futures tracking the S&P 500 were up 0.6%.

On Friday, a Miami jury ordered $329 million in damages for a fatal 2019 crash that involved Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assistance product. The jury determined that Tesla was 33% responsible for the crash, blaming the driver for the rest. Tesla had argued the driver was speeding and had his foot on the accelerator pedal, which overrides the Autopilot features, while looking for his phone.

Shares slipped just 1.8% on Friday, suggesting investors weren’t too fazed by the news, and the move in Monday’s premarket is another sign they are looking past the ruling.

Another factor driving the rebound could be traders betting on lower interest rates, which could be the one silver lining of Friday’s dismal nonfarm jobs report, which changes the math for a central bank that had been trying to wait out the data. Growth stocks such as Tesla tend to rally when rates fall, because they have more appeal relative to steadier but lower-yielding assets such as bonds.

Whatever was driving the move higher, Tesla stock could sure do with a boost. Shares have plummeted 25% this year amid concerns about weaker deliveries and CEO Elon Musk’s political activities. The S&P 500 is up 6.1% in 2025.

Write to George Glover at george.glover@dowjones.com