Tesla stock was struggling for direction on Tuesday, which could be a sign that the electric-vehicle maker's recent rally is about to fizzle out.

Shares ticked up 0.1% to $331.35 ahead of the opening bell. Futures tracking the S&P 500 were a touch lower as investors fretted about tensions in the Middle East sparking a flare-up in inflation.

Tesla stock rose last week but is still down 26% for the year, slumping due to worries about declining profit and overspending on artificial intelligence.

Weaker-than-expected consumer-price inflation data on Wednesday could help spark a rebound. Signs of cooling price pressures would bolster the case for the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates at their current level. The lower borrowing costs are, the more attractive growth stocks such as Tesla become relative to interest-bearing assets like bonds.

Another development that could breathe some life into shares would be an AI breakthrough. Tesla is pouring money into the technology as it ramps up production of robo-taxis, Optimus humanoid robots, and custom chips.

But Wall Street is questioning when the spending spree will pay off.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday that Tesla would recall 20,349 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles due to issues with excessively bright low-beam headlights, according to Reuters. That didn't appear to have much of an impact on shares.