SPCX Slides Over 3% Despite New VinSpace Rideshare Launch Contract

SpaceX shares (Nasdaq: SPCX) opened down about 3.23% on August 18, 2026 and traded roughly 2.77% lower intraday in a tight $141.80-$143 range, even after the company announced a new contract to launch Vietnamese satellite operator VinSpace's first satellites aboard a SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission targeted for 2027. Traders sold into the announcement rather than rewarding it, with the pullback attributed to a broader growth-stock selloff — SPCX underperformed alongside names like Dell and Oracle — amid newly announced US tariffs of 10-12.5% on imports from 60 countries, rising oil prices, and inflation concerns. The decline also reflects profit-taking after SPCX's roughly 22% one-month rally and positioning ahead of an additional ~319 million-share unlock tranche scheduled for August 20, 2026, which risks further float expansion and insider selling pressure.