SpaceX’s Big Day: A Historic Starship Launch, a Tesla Merger Under Scrutiny, and a $74 Billion AI Bet
Published . Updated .
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SpaceX is preparing to try catching both Starship stages with its launch tower, right after announcing more than $74 billion in new AI campuses, but a possible Tesla merger now has a skeptic in Texas’ incoming attorney general.
Directly affected
- SPCX Space Exploration Technologies-12.9% 30d
Named in this report.
- TSLA Tesla+7.1% 30d
Named in this report.
Indirectly affected
- QQQ Invesco QQQ-9.8% 30d
Invesco QQQ: it holds the big tech and AI names. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- AIQ Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF-6.1% 11d
Global X Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF: it holds the big tech and AI names. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- MSFT Microsoft+1.1% 30d
Microsoft (prepackaged software): big tech's AI spending and demand drive its shares. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- GOOGL Alphabet-16.0% 30d
Alphabet (computer programming, data processing, etc.): big tech's AI spending and demand drive its shares. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- AMZN Amazon.com+6.4% 30d
Amazon.com (catalog and mail-order houses): big tech's AI spending and demand drive its shares. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
- META Meta Platforms-14.4% 30d
Meta Platforms (computer programming, data processing, etc.): big tech's AI spending and demand drive its shares. Linked by “ai” (AI and big tech) in this story.
Price reaction, T-5 to T+3
| Ticker | T-5 | T-3 | T-1 | T0 | T+1 | T+2 | T+3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPCX | -4.15% | +2.26% | base | -0.03% | after close | after close | after close |
| TSLA | -9.87% | -4.45% | base | -1.81% | after close | after close | after close |
| QQQ | -4.63% | -1.94% | base | -1.28% | after close | after close | after close |
| AIQ | -4.31% | -1.83% | base | -1.20% | after close | after close | after close |
| MSFT | +1.45% | +1.95% | base | +0.22% | after close | after close | after close |
| GOOGL | -4.68% | -3.77% | base | -1.07% | after close | after close | after close |
| AMZN | -2.99% | +1.29% | base | -0.73% | after close | after close | after close |
| META | -2.15% | +2.87% | base | +2.94% | after close | after close | after close |
Closing-price change versus T-1, the last close before the story. T0 to T+3 fill in after each market close. Prices: Alpaca IEX.
SpaceX’s Big Day: A Historic Starship Launch, a Tesla Merger Under Scrutiny, and a $74 Billion AI Bet The Motley Fool
Source: The Motley Fool
This story
| Company | When | Move | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIQ | that day | -1.20% | still updating |
| AIQ | three days earlier | -1.83% | final price |
| AIQ | five days earlier | -4.31% | final price |
| AMZN | that day | -0.73% | still updating |
| AMZN | three days earlier | +1.29% | final price |
| AMZN | five days earlier | -2.99% | final price |
| GOOGL | that day | -1.07% | still updating |
| GOOGL | three days earlier | -3.77% | final price |
| GOOGL | five days earlier | -4.68% | final price |
| META | that day | +2.94% | still updating |
| META | three days earlier | +2.87% | final price |
| META | five days earlier | -2.15% | final price |
| MSFT | that day | +0.22% | still updating |
| MSFT | three days earlier | +1.95% | final price |
| MSFT | five days earlier | +1.45% | final price |
| QQQ | that day | -1.28% | still updating |
| QQQ | three days earlier | -1.94% | final price |
| QQQ | five days earlier | -4.63% | final price |
| SPCX | that day | -0.03% | still updating |
| SPCX | three days earlier | +2.26% | final price |
| SPCX | five days earlier | -4.15% | final price |
| TSLA | that day | -1.81% | still updating |
| TSLA | three days earlier | -4.45% | final price |
| TSLA | five days earlier | -9.87% | final price |
Congressional trades in the stocks in this story
- Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar sold Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 24 Sep 2026. That is 50 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Tesla (TSLA) (held by a spouse), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 2 Oct 2026. That is 42 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Rohit Khanna bought Tesla (TSLA) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 25 Sep 2026. That is 49 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Rohit Khanna bought Tesla (TSLA) (held by a dependent child), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 11 Sep 2026. That is 63 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Rohit Khanna sold Microsoft (MSFT) (held by a dependent child), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 28 Oct 2026. That is 16 days before publication. Filed 5 Nov 2026. View the filing.
- Sen. Shelley M Capito sold Microsoft (MSFT) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 21 Oct 2026. That is 23 days before publication. Filed 4 Nov 2026. View the filing.
- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse sold Microsoft (MSFT) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 15 Oct 2026. That is 29 days before publication. Filed 2 Nov 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Rohit Khanna bought Alphabet (GOOGL) (held by a dependent child), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 28 Oct 2026. That is 16 days before publication. Filed 5 Nov 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Alphabet (GOOGL), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 14 Sep 2026. That is 60 days before publication. Filed 18 Sep 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Rohit Khanna sold Alphabet (GOOGL) (held by a spouse), worth $1,001 - $15,000 on 4 Sep 2026. That is 70 days before publication. Filed 7 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Amazon Com (AMZN), worth $15,001 - $50,000 on 27 Oct 2026. That is 17 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
- Rep. Pete Sessions sold Amazon Com (AMZN) (held by a spouse), worth $100,001 - $250,000 on 2 Oct 2026. That is 42 days before publication. Filed 27 Oct 2026. View the filing.
Public disclosure filings, not a recommendation. The filing link is the source document. News use of these reports still sits under 5 U.S.C. § 13107(c).
This story
12 out of 100Price not final
“SpaceX’s Big Day: A Historic Starship Launch, a Tesla Merger Under Scrutiny, and a $74 Billion AI Bet” scores 12 out of 100. The score uses 1 sources. The price is not final yet.