Nasdaq 100 Hits Record High Amid Market Gains
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3 days ago
0mins
Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: CNBC
- Nasdaq Performance: The Nasdaq 100 reached a new high on Monday, gaining approximately 17% over the past month, indicating a strong rebound in tech stocks and reinforcing investor confidence in the technology sector.
- S&P 500 Milestone: The S&P 500 index rose 8.7% in the past month, surpassing 7400 points for the first time, reflecting optimistic expectations for economic recovery and potentially attracting more capital into the stock market.
- Tech Stocks Lead: Apple and Nvidia surged 12% and 16% respectively over the past month, playing pivotal roles in the Cramer Charitable Trust, which highlights their significance in investment portfolios and further drives overall market gains.
- Inflation Data Watch: The April Consumer Price Index is set to be released on Tuesday, with the market expecting a month-over-month increase of 0.6% and a year-over-year rise of 3.7%, which will significantly impact market sentiment as investors closely monitor the reaction post-release.
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Analyst Views on AAPL
Wall Street analysts forecast AAPL stock price to rise
27 Analyst Rating
17 Buy
9 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 298.210
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 298.210
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
About AAPL
Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. Its product categories include iPhone, Mac, iPad, Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its services include advertising, AppleCare, cloud services, digital content, and payment services. The Company operates various platforms, including the App Store, that allow customers to discover and download applications and digital content, such as books, music, video, games and podcasts. It also offers digital content through subscription-based services, including Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV+. Its wearables include smartwatches, wireless headphones, and spatial computers. Its products include iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone SE, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro, iPad Pro, iPad Air, AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Apple's Services Business Continues Strong Growth
- Revenue Growth in Services: Apple's Services business generated over $30 billion in revenue in the latest quarter, showcasing strong performance across the App Store, iCloud, and Apple Music, and is expected to continue driving overall gross margin improvements.
- Gross Margin Enhancement Potential: Analyst Amit Daryanani highlighted that the structurally higher margins of the Services segment will elevate Apple's overall gross margins, as long as Services maintains double-digit growth, even if segment-level margins remain stable.
- Earnings Per Share Growth Expectations: Daryanani projects that Apple's earnings per share could reach between $12 and $13 in the next couple of years, representing a 50% increase from the $7.49 earned in 2025, indicating that Services will be crucial for sustaining healthy double-digit EPS growth.
- AI Potential Unleashed: With Apple's plans to launch Apple Intelligence this fall, analysts believe this could unlock multiple monetization avenues without requiring the capital expenditure intensity of hyperscalers, further enhancing Apple's competitive position in the market.
See More
Trump's Meeting with Xi Boosts Oil Prices Amid Trade Talks
- Trump's Visit Outcomes: Following his meetings with Xi, Trump announced that China agreed to purchase U.S. crude oil, although Beijing has not confirmed this plan, leading to a rise in oil prices and indicating potential improvement in U.S.-China trade relations.
- Cerebras IPO Performance: Cerebras surged 68% on its Nasdaq debut, reaching a market cap of approximately $95 billion, marking the largest IPO in the U.S. tech sector in years, which made its founders billionaires and reflects strong market demand for emerging technologies.
- Market Dynamics Recap: The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged back above 50,000, while the S&P 500 closed above 7,500 for the first time, showcasing a robust rebound driven by surging demand for AI infrastructure, particularly with Cisco's stock rising over 13%.
- Automotive Industry Layoffs: Legacy automakers have collectively cut over 20,000 U.S. salaried jobs, about 19% of their workforce, as they adapt to technological changes, raising concerns among lawmakers about the impact of Chinese car manufacturers entering the U.S. market.
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End of Fed Chair Era Sparks Market Volatility
- Fed Chair Transition: Jerome Powell's last day as Fed Chair coincides with falling stock futures, indicating investor uncertainty regarding future monetary policy, which may lead to increased market volatility in the short term.
- Cerebras IPO Success: Cerebras shares surged 68% on their Nasdaq debut, pushing the company's market cap to approximately $95 billion, marking the largest IPO in the U.S. tech sector in years and reflecting strong demand and renewed investor confidence in high-tech firms.
- Automotive Industry Layoffs: The Detroit Three automakers—GM, Ford, and Stellantis—have collectively cut over 20,000 U.S. salaried jobs, about 19% of their combined workforce, highlighting the industry's struggle to adapt to AI and technological changes, which could impact future production capabilities.
- Crypto Regulation Progress: The Senate Banking Committee approved the Clarity Act, providing a regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry despite opposition from banks and law enforcement, indicating lawmakers' recognition of the crypto market's significance and potential compliance challenges ahead.
See More
US-China Executive Meeting Focuses on Tech Cooperation
- High-Level US-China Meeting: The meeting between US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted tech cooperation, with executives from Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple present, indicating a strong American interest in the Chinese market.
- Absence of Chip Export Controls: Despite Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's presence, discussions on chip export controls were notably absent, which could impact the sales of Nvidia's H200 chips in China, reflecting the complexities of US-China relations in high-tech sectors.
- Rare Earth Minerals Negotiations: Both sides expressed a willingness to cooperate on access to rare earth minerals, where China holds a dominant market position, with hopes to extend existing trade agreements to ensure the US secures critical resources and enhances supply chain resilience.
- Future Negotiation Outlook: Ongoing negotiations on sensitive topics like rare earth minerals are expected to continue into the summer, and if Xi visits the US in September, these issues may resurface, highlighting potential opportunities for economic collaboration between the two nations.
See More
Trump-Xi Talks Omit Chip Export Controls, Focus on Minerals
- Meeting Overview: The Trump-Xi talks did not address chip export controls, although critical minerals and market access for U.S. tech companies were expected focal points, indicating ongoing tensions in the tech sector between the two nations.
- U.S. Executive Participation: High-profile executives including Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Tesla's Elon Musk, and Apple's Tim Cook were part of the U.S. delegation, reflecting America's interest in the Chinese market, yet the lack of consensus on chip exports may hinder future collaboration opportunities.
- Rare Earth Minerals Issue: China's dominance over critical and rare earth minerals remains a sensitive topic in U.S.-China relations; while the U.S. has seen improvements in accessing these resources, uncertainty over the extension of future agreements could impact America's competitiveness in high-tech industries.
- Market Reaction Expectations: Despite the absence of concrete agreements, President Xi's statement about further opening China's market may provide opportunities for U.S. businesses, but the practical implications remain to be seen, potentially affecting market confidence in future collaborations.
See More
US Executives Seek to Rekindle Ties at Beijing Summit
- Executive Attendance: Top U.S. executives, including Elon Musk of Tesla and Jensen Huang of Nvidia, attended the Beijing leadership summit aiming to rekindle business ties with China, despite ongoing political tensions.
- Limited Deal Outcomes: While President Trump mentioned a deal for 200 Boeing jets, this figure falls short of the 300 jets purchased during the 2017 visit, indicating limited tangible outcomes from the summit.
- Importance of Policy Understanding: Face-to-face meetings with Chinese officials are crucial for U.S. executives to navigate regulatory and policy hurdles, which not only aids in understanding the market environment but may also pave the way for future investment opportunities.
- Positive Atmosphere but Unclear Results: Although the summit fostered a positive atmosphere, analysts note that the lack of concrete deal outcomes may pressure Trump upon his return, potentially impacting the future trajectory of U.S.-China relations.
See More
Apple's Services Business Continues Strong Growth
- Revenue Growth in Services: Apple's Services business generated over $30 billion in revenue in the latest quarter, showcasing strong performance across the App Store, iCloud, and Apple Music, and is expected to continue driving overall gross margin improvements.
- Gross Margin Enhancement Potential: Analyst Amit Daryanani highlighted that the structurally higher margins of the Services segment will elevate Apple's overall gross margins, as long as Services maintains double-digit growth, even if segment-level margins remain stable.
- Earnings Per Share Growth Expectations: Daryanani projects that Apple's earnings per share could reach between $12 and $13 in the next couple of years, representing a 50% increase from the $7.49 earned in 2025, indicating that Services will be crucial for sustaining healthy double-digit EPS growth.
- AI Potential Unleashed: With Apple's plans to launch Apple Intelligence this fall, analysts believe this could unlock multiple monetization avenues without requiring the capital expenditure intensity of hyperscalers, further enhancing Apple's competitive position in the market.
See More
Trump's Meeting with Xi Boosts Oil Prices Amid Trade Talks
- Trump's Visit Outcomes: Following his meetings with Xi, Trump announced that China agreed to purchase U.S. crude oil, although Beijing has not confirmed this plan, leading to a rise in oil prices and indicating potential improvement in U.S.-China trade relations.
- Cerebras IPO Performance: Cerebras surged 68% on its Nasdaq debut, reaching a market cap of approximately $95 billion, marking the largest IPO in the U.S. tech sector in years, which made its founders billionaires and reflects strong market demand for emerging technologies.
- Market Dynamics Recap: The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged back above 50,000, while the S&P 500 closed above 7,500 for the first time, showcasing a robust rebound driven by surging demand for AI infrastructure, particularly with Cisco's stock rising over 13%.
- Automotive Industry Layoffs: Legacy automakers have collectively cut over 20,000 U.S. salaried jobs, about 19% of their workforce, as they adapt to technological changes, raising concerns among lawmakers about the impact of Chinese car manufacturers entering the U.S. market.
See More
End of Fed Chair Era Sparks Market Volatility
- Fed Chair Transition: Jerome Powell's last day as Fed Chair coincides with falling stock futures, indicating investor uncertainty regarding future monetary policy, which may lead to increased market volatility in the short term.
- Cerebras IPO Success: Cerebras shares surged 68% on their Nasdaq debut, pushing the company's market cap to approximately $95 billion, marking the largest IPO in the U.S. tech sector in years and reflecting strong demand and renewed investor confidence in high-tech firms.
- Automotive Industry Layoffs: The Detroit Three automakers—GM, Ford, and Stellantis—have collectively cut over 20,000 U.S. salaried jobs, about 19% of their combined workforce, highlighting the industry's struggle to adapt to AI and technological changes, which could impact future production capabilities.
- Crypto Regulation Progress: The Senate Banking Committee approved the Clarity Act, providing a regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry despite opposition from banks and law enforcement, indicating lawmakers' recognition of the crypto market's significance and potential compliance challenges ahead.
See More
US-China Executive Meeting Focuses on Tech Cooperation
- High-Level US-China Meeting: The meeting between US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted tech cooperation, with executives from Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple present, indicating a strong American interest in the Chinese market.
- Absence of Chip Export Controls: Despite Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's presence, discussions on chip export controls were notably absent, which could impact the sales of Nvidia's H200 chips in China, reflecting the complexities of US-China relations in high-tech sectors.
- Rare Earth Minerals Negotiations: Both sides expressed a willingness to cooperate on access to rare earth minerals, where China holds a dominant market position, with hopes to extend existing trade agreements to ensure the US secures critical resources and enhances supply chain resilience.
- Future Negotiation Outlook: Ongoing negotiations on sensitive topics like rare earth minerals are expected to continue into the summer, and if Xi visits the US in September, these issues may resurface, highlighting potential opportunities for economic collaboration between the two nations.
See More
Trump-Xi Talks Omit Chip Export Controls, Focus on Minerals
- Meeting Overview: The Trump-Xi talks did not address chip export controls, although critical minerals and market access for U.S. tech companies were expected focal points, indicating ongoing tensions in the tech sector between the two nations.
- U.S. Executive Participation: High-profile executives including Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Tesla's Elon Musk, and Apple's Tim Cook were part of the U.S. delegation, reflecting America's interest in the Chinese market, yet the lack of consensus on chip exports may hinder future collaboration opportunities.
- Rare Earth Minerals Issue: China's dominance over critical and rare earth minerals remains a sensitive topic in U.S.-China relations; while the U.S. has seen improvements in accessing these resources, uncertainty over the extension of future agreements could impact America's competitiveness in high-tech industries.
- Market Reaction Expectations: Despite the absence of concrete agreements, President Xi's statement about further opening China's market may provide opportunities for U.S. businesses, but the practical implications remain to be seen, potentially affecting market confidence in future collaborations.
See More
US Executives Seek to Rekindle Ties at Beijing Summit
- Executive Attendance: Top U.S. executives, including Elon Musk of Tesla and Jensen Huang of Nvidia, attended the Beijing leadership summit aiming to rekindle business ties with China, despite ongoing political tensions.
- Limited Deal Outcomes: While President Trump mentioned a deal for 200 Boeing jets, this figure falls short of the 300 jets purchased during the 2017 visit, indicating limited tangible outcomes from the summit.
- Importance of Policy Understanding: Face-to-face meetings with Chinese officials are crucial for U.S. executives to navigate regulatory and policy hurdles, which not only aids in understanding the market environment but may also pave the way for future investment opportunities.
- Positive Atmosphere but Unclear Results: Although the summit fostered a positive atmosphere, analysts note that the lack of concrete deal outcomes may pressure Trump upon his return, potentially impacting the future trajectory of U.S.-China relations.
See More
