New York, Feb 4, 2026, 16:06 EST — After-hours
Apple Inc (AAPL.O) shares climbed 2.6%, ending Wednesday at $276.40, standing out against a 1.5% decline in the Nasdaq Composite amid heavy tech sector selling. In after-hours trading, the stock slipped 0.3% to $275.66.
Apple outpaced the broader tech sector by the largest gap seen in roughly a year, with some investors viewing the iPhone giant as a safer bet amid fresh AI-driven upheaval. They’re sorting out which players will thrive and which might get sidelined in this new wave.
That caution is most evident in software. The selloff is deepening, but bargain hunters remain scarce, and options flow is still defensive, Reuters reported. “In general, our customers have not been as eager to buy dips in software,” said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers. Reuters
Apple’s surge this week builds on last week’s earnings report, where it projected March-quarter revenue growth between 13% and 16%, alongside holiday-quarter sales of $143.8 billion. CEO Tim Cook described demand for the latest iPhones as “staggering,” but flagged processor supply issues on the conference call. He also cautioned that the ongoing memory-chip shortage could put more pressure on margins this quarter. Reuters
AI continues to be the key driver. Alphabet (GOOGL.O) is set to release earnings after Wednesday’s close, and several analysts are pushing for more clarity on the Gemini deal. They want to see how it might enhance Siri and other AI capabilities in Apple devices.
Last month, Apple and Google inked a multi-year deal for Apple to integrate Google’s Gemini models into Siri and upcoming AI features, Reuters reported. Parth Talsania, CEO of Equisights Research, noted the move “shifts OpenAI into a more supporting role,” with ChatGPT reserved for opt-in, more complex queries instead of the default option. Reuters
But Apple’s stock isn’t immune to tech sector pressures. Nikkei Asia reported that the company plans to focus on premium iPhone launches in 2026, pushing back a standard model due to supply-chain issues and rising component costs. Reuters noted it couldn’t confirm the story. An executive from an iPhone supplier told Nikkei that “supply chain smoothness” remains a major hurdle. Reuters
Traders on Thursday will focus on Alphabet’s earnings and guidance to see if they intensify the AI-driven selloff or help steady it. They’ll also be looking for any Gemini insights that could shift expectations around Apple’s upcoming iPhone upgrade cycle.
