New York, Jan 16, 2026, 16:03 EST — After-hours
Apple Inc shares slipped on Friday, ending regular trading down 1.1% at $255.43, and were little changed after the close. 1
The decline matters because Apple is one of the market’s biggest index weights, and investors are trying to decide what “good enough” looks like for mega-cap results later this month. Any fresh hit to services, where Apple posts some of its highest margins, can move the stock fast.
This week’s tape has been jittery in pockets. Chip stocks have run, while some heavyweight tech names have struggled to keep up, leaving traders to pick their spots rather than buy the whole sector.
A key overhang is in India, where Reuters reported the Competition Commission of India issued a final warning and could proceed with an antitrust case over Apple’s App Store practices if it does not respond by next week. Apple has said it fears a fine of up to $38 billion if penalties are calculated on “global turnover” — a method tied to worldwide revenue — and has challenged the penalty rules in court, the report said. 2
In the broader market, U.S. stocks ended slightly higher ahead of the long weekend, with the Dow up 0.05%, the S&P 500 up 0.12% and the Nasdaq up 0.09%, Reuters reported. “The most important thing is the growth companies and the big technology companies,” Bruce Zaro, managing director at Granite Wealth Management, told Reuters. 3
Apple’s slide left it on the wrong side of a session that otherwise had a mildly constructive tone. Traders said the market’s narrow moves also reflected caution ahead of January options expiration, which can amplify swings in heavily traded stocks.
Some investors have treated the India dispute as a slow-burn risk rather than an immediate earnings hit. But the size of the potential penalty — and the precedent it could set for App Store rules — is what keeps it on screens.
The immediate downside scenario is straightforward: regulators move quicker than investors expect, headlines tighten around App Store economics, and the stock takes another leg down in a market that is already sensitive to mega-cap stumbles. A quieter outcome, or a long legal timeline, could blunt the impact.
Next up, investors will focus on Apple’s fiscal first-quarter results on Jan. 29, with the company’s conference call scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. 4
