New York, March 2, 2026, 07:07 (EST) — Before the bell
- Apple shares slipped roughly 1.3% before the bell, following a 3.2% decline on Friday.
- Tech opened lower, pulled down as oil prices spiked and U.S. futures signaled a wider risk-off mood.
- Apple’s first product reveals are on deck for Monday, with a media “experience” following up on March 4—traders have their eyes on both events.
Apple Inc (AAPL.O) slipped roughly 1.3% in premarket action Monday, trading near $260.70 on delayed quotes ahead of the regular session.
Apple’s shares slipped early, drawing focus right before a week packed with anticipated product unveilings—and with macro risks dictating the start. When oil prices and bond yields turn unfavorable, traders waste little time trimming their big tech positions.
U.S. stock index futures slipped more than 1% as the Middle East conflict intensified over the weekend, sending crude up roughly 8% and prompting a move into safe-haven assets. “There is plenty of scope for more downside should the conflict widen,” IG’s chief market analyst Chris Beauchamp noted. Ohsung Kwon, chief equity strategist at Wells Fargo, pointed out the risk of the S&P 500 falling hard if oil crosses $100 a barrel. Reuters
Apple shares slipped 3.21% Friday, finishing at $264.18. The stock had closed at $272.95 the previous day, per the company’s own investor relations site.
Despite the move lower, traders are eyeing Apple’s upcoming events. CEO Tim Cook posted, “A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning!” using the #AppleLaunch hashtag. According to MacRumors, Apple is set to roll out announcements starting March 2 and running through March 4, with a final “Apple Experience” planned for media in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday at 9 a.m. Eastern. MacRumors
Legal and regulatory risk isn’t far off, either. Apple, in its latest quarterly report, pointed out that March 2 marks the cutoff to request a rehearing in the Epic Games appeal—a procedural move that could extend the case or leave the current ruling in place as the dispute over App Store payments and commissions grinds on. The same filing showed Apple bought back $25.0 billion in shares and distributed $3.9 billion in dividends and equivalents for the quarter ended Dec. 27.
Apple’s immediate outlook isn’t simple. Product headlines may spark optimism, yet macro jolts often overshadow the story for one stock—particularly across megacap tech, where rate-sensitive valuations amplify the swings.
But there’s another, more basic worry for AAPL bulls: should the new hardware debut flop during launch week, or if investors judge the updates as unlikely to spur demand, any relief rally could evaporate quickly. A renewed oil-driven inflation jolt would only pile on more pressure.
Apple headlines land Monday, and traders want specifics—especially on that March 4 in-person “experience.” On top of that, U.S. manufacturing numbers and Friday’s payrolls are set to weigh heavily on risk sentiment as the week rolls on.
