MP Materials Shares Slide Thursday: What's Going On?

MP Materials Corp (NYSE:MP) shares are trading lower Thursday morning as traders continue to digest the company’s first-quarter results. Here’s what investors need to know. MP Materials stock is taking a hit today. What’s pressuring MP stock? What Catalyzed MP Materials’ Recent Stock Movement? MP Materials last week reported first-quarter revenue of $90.65 million versus a $76.47 million estimate and adjusted EPS of 3 cents versus expectations for breakeven earnings, with management citing higher NdPr oxide and metal sales plus stronger market pricing. MP Materials stock moved lower after first-quarter results and continued downward momentum this week appears to be driving the weakness. The company ended the quarter with $1.74 billion in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, and said heavy rare earth separation commissioning activities are set to begin "imminently" at Mountain Pass. MP Materials' recent volatility is amplified by how far the stock has already moved, with the company highlighting 12,983 metric tons of rare earth concentrate production (up 6% YoY) alongside the separated-products ramp. Critical Price Levels To Watch For MP Materials From a trend perspective, MP is still digesting a huge 12-month move (up 182.50%), and Thursday's selloff is pushing price back into a crowded moving-average zone where the next few sessions matter. The stock is trading 8.8% below its 20-day SMA ($65.47), but it's essentially sitting on top of the 50-day SMA ($59.25) and 100-day SMA ($59.69), which often becomes a "make-or-break" area for swing traders. Momentum looks more like consolidation than breakdown: RSI is 50.27, which is neutral and typically signals the stock isn't stretched in either direction after the pullback. In plain terms, RSI helps gauge whether buying or selling has gotten overextended, and a ~50 reading usually lines up with range trading and two-sided action. The longer-term picture is mixed: the 20-day SMA is above the 50-day SMA (a bullish near-term alignment), but the death cross from March (50-day SMA below the 200-day SMA) can keep rallies choppy until the longer trend fully repairs. Key levels to watch: Key Resistance: $69.50 — a nearby pivot area where rebounds can stall, especially with the stock still below its 20-day average Key Support: $50.00 — a round-number zone that can act as a line in the sand if the 50-day/100-day area fails MP Stock Price Activity Update MP Stock Price Activity: MP Materials shares were down 6.79% at $59.40 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data. Read Also: Versant Shares Rally After Reporting Better-Than-Expected Q1 Results Image: Shutterstock