Tesla just flashed a 'death cross' sell signal for the first time since 2019, signaling more downside ahead

Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a Suit in Manhattan.JPG — Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Shares of Tesla flashed a so-called death cross on Friday for the first time since 2019.
The death cross is a technical sell signal that often precedes further downside in a stock's price.
Tesla's death cross in 2019 was followed up with a decline of about 45%.
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A closely followed technical sell signal was triggered in Tesla this week, suggesting there's more downside ahead for the electric vehicle manufacturer.

Tesla experienced a bearish "death cross" on Friday, which occurs when the shorter-term 50-day moving average for the stock crosses below the longer-term 200-day moving average. The moving average crossover signal is widely followed by technical analysts and traders.

The lagging crossover indicator can help alert traders to securities that are solidifying their downtrend and are likely to experience a continuation, resulting in lower prices.

This is the first time Tesla experienced a death cross since February of 2019. After that death cross, shares of Tesla fell about 45%.

The technical sell signal in Tesla comes amid increased competition from legacy automakers that are making the transition to electric-powered vehicles. Ford has seen early success since it launched its Mach-E Mustang and announced the Lightning version of its popular F-150 truck series. Meanwhile, General Motors, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz, among others, have all laid out their plans to launch new electric vehicles in the coming years.

Tesla investors are hoping that the recent death cross signal in bitcoin is nothing more than a false signal, and that the opposite signal to the death cross, a bullish golden cross, quickly materializes. The golden cross is a buy signal that triggers when the 50-day moving average crosses above the 200-day moving average.

Tesla last experienced a golden cross in November of 2019, about eight months after its death cross materialized. Since that golden cross, shares of Tesla have soared by more than 900%.

The bearish death cross is one of many trading patterns that traders use to sell stocks. Meanwhile, the golden cross signal is one of many trading patterns that technical analysts employ to buy stocks.

Increased volatility over the past few months has led to a 28% decline in Tesla, with the EV maker down 8% year-to-date.