Apple’s slow AI pace gains strength amid market fatigue

SHARES OF APPLE were battered earlier this year as the iPhone maker faced repeated complaints about its lack of an artificial intelligence strategy.

- BLOOMBERG

But as the Al trade faces increasing scrutiny, that hesitance has gone from a weakness to a strength — and it’s showing up in the stock market.

Through the first six months of 2025, Apple was the secondworst performer among the Magnificent Seven tech giants, as its shares tumbled 18% through the end of June. That has reversed since then, with the stock soaring 35% while Al darlings like Meta and Microsoft have tumbled into the red and even Nvidia is underperforming. The S&P 500 Index is up 10% in that time, and the techheavy Nasdaq 100 Index has gained 13%.