S&P 500 Records Biggest Surge Since 2008 As Trump Pauses Tariffs: Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Fear' Zone
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 10 2025
0mins
Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: Benzinga
Market Reaction to Tariff Announcement: U.S. stocks surged sharply on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones rising over 2,900 points and the S&P 500 experiencing its largest single-day gain since 2008, following President Trump's announcement of a 90-day pause on tariffs for non-retaliating countries, despite his criticism of China and a new tariff hike on Chinese goods.
Current Market Sentiment: The CNN Money Fear and Greed index indicated an easing in fear levels but remained in the "Extreme Fear" zone at a reading of 16.5, while mortgage application volumes increased by 20% from the previous week, reflecting positive economic activity amidst ongoing market volatility.
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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: 255.920
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 255.920
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, and Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its software platforms include iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS. 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 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.
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- Investor Shift: Recently, investors have shifted from tech stocks to sectors like industrials and healthcare, indicating short-term caution towards tech; however, given the earnings power of tech companies, this shift may not last long.
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See More
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- iPhone in Space: NASA has cleared the iPhone 17 Pro Max for use by astronauts on the Artemis II mission, showcasing the device's reliability and practicality in extreme environments, which enhances Apple's brand image significantly.
- Strong Market Response: Since its launch last September, the iPhone 17 series has seen a 23% revenue increase in the December quarter, reaching $85.3 billion, indicating strong consumer demand for the new model and bolstering Apple's competitive position in the smartphone market.
- Supply Chain Challenges: Despite robust iPhone sales, analysts warn that shortages of memory chips could lead to rising smartphone prices, potentially impacting demand; IDC predicts smartphone shipments will decline nearly 13% year-over-year to 1.1 billion units in 2026, marking the lowest volume in over a decade.
- Earnings Outlook: Apple's upcoming second-quarter report on April 30 is expected to show a 14.4% revenue increase to $109.1 billion, with adjusted profit rising 19% to $1.96 per share, although the stock is down 5.8% year-to-date, it has performed better than most peers.
See More
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- Jefferies Upgrades Boot Barn: Jefferies upgraded Boot Barn from hold to buy, citing robust demand and a reset valuation from approximately 24x to 16x, indicating a more attractive investment opportunity in the current market environment.
- KBW Initiates Coverage on Sezzle: KBW initiated coverage on Sezzle with an outperform rating and a 12-month price target of $85, implying a 33% potential upside, reflecting the company's underappreciated profitable growth in the buy-now pay-later sector.
- Morgan Stanley Names Seagate a Top Pick: Morgan Stanley identified Seagate as an
See More
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- Ceasefire Negotiations: The US and Iran are considering a potential 45-day ceasefire agreement mediated by third parties, with Trump warning of severe consequences for Iran if the deadline is missed, which could impact global oil prices and market sentiment.
- Employment Data Rebound: The US nonfarm payrolls increased by 178,000 in March, surpassing economists' expectations, indicating signs of economic recovery that may support the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decisions and influence future interest rate trajectories.
- Apple's 50th Anniversary: Apple celebrates its 50th anniversary while facing challenges in succession planning and supply chain issues, alongside increasing competitive pressure in artificial intelligence, which could affect its market position and brand image.
- OpenAI Acquires TBPN: OpenAI announced the acquisition of the technology news podcast TBPN, with undisclosed terms, but the podcast is projected to generate over $30 million in advertising revenue this year, potentially influencing OpenAI's strategic direction and market positioning.
See More
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- Court Ruling: The Supreme People's Court of China rejected Apple's request to invalidate Xiao-I's AI patents, affirming their validity and legality, which delivers a final and binding decision, effectively eliminating Apple's right to appeal further in this case.
- Stock Volatility: Shares of Xiao-I Corp (AIXI) surged over 60% in pre-market trading on Monday, positioning themselves to break above the 50-day moving average for the first time since October 2025, reflecting a positive market reaction to the court's ruling.
- Trading Activity: According to Stocktwits data, AIXI stock generated a staggering 20,000% increase in message volume over the past week, with approximately 116 million shares traded in Monday's pre-market, significantly higher than the average of around two million shares, indicating heightened interest from retail investors.
- Market Sentiment: Despite the stock rebound, retail sentiment remains in the 'extremely bearish' zone, suggesting that investors are cautious about Xiao-I's potential financial compensation and the outcome of the ongoing patent infringement lawsuit against Apple.
See More
US and Iran Consider Ceasefire Agreement Amid Ongoing Conflict
- Ceasefire Negotiations: The US and Iran are reportedly considering a 45-day ceasefire agreement through mediators, which has boosted investor confidence and pushed S&P 500 futures higher, indicating market optimism for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
- Oil Price Volatility: Oil prices surged above $114 per barrel amid expectations of a ceasefire, reflecting investor sensitivity to geopolitical risks and potentially impacting global energy market stability.
- Amazon's Logistics Surcharge: Amazon announced a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge for sellers, indicating that the company is grappling with rising costs due to the war, which could affect sellers' profit margins and ultimately be passed on to consumers.
- Employment Data Rebound: The US nonfarm payrolls increased by 178,000 in March, surpassing economists' expectations, signaling signs of economic recovery that may influence the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decisions.
See More
Analysis of Investment Trends in Tech Stocks
- Investor Shift: Recently, investors have shifted from tech stocks to sectors like industrials and healthcare, indicating short-term caution towards tech; however, given the earnings power of tech companies, this shift may not last long.
- Meta's Ad Revenue: With over 3.5 billion users, Meta's advertising revenue drives its growth, and by enhancing ad performance through AI, it is expected to further increase revenue, currently trading at a forward P/E of 19, making it an attractive buy.
- Alphabet's Cloud Growth: Alphabet's Google Cloud unit is experiencing explosive growth, likely to continue meeting the demand for AI and cloud services, with advertising still accounting for 72% of total revenue, trading at a forward P/E of 26, indicating strong investment potential.
- Nvidia's Market Leadership: As a leading AI chip supplier, Nvidia has committed to annual chip updates to maintain its technological edge, with analysts predicting the AI market will reach trillions in the coming years, currently trading at a forward P/E of 21, making it an ideal investment choice.
See More
