NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 16:14 ET — After-hours
- Apple shares were up about 0.1% in after-hours trading, after a small dip in the regular session.
- U.S. stocks ended lower, led by declines in megacap tech and chipmakers.
- Investors are watching Fed minutes on Tuesday and holiday-thinned trading into the New Year.
Apple Inc shares were up about 0.1% in after-hours trading at $273.74 on Monday, after slipping 0.15% in the regular session.
The move matters because Apple is a heavyweight in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, so even a small swing can move index performance and risk sentiment when liquidity is thin.
That matters more in the final week of the year, with U.S. markets closed on Thursday for New Year’s Day and few major corporate catalysts on the calendar.
U.S. stocks finished lower on Monday, with the S&P 500 down 0.34%, the Nasdaq down 0.50% and the Dow down 0.50%, as investors trimmed exposure to some of the biggest technology names.
Apple’s steadier trade contrasted with sharper moves in parts of the “Magnificent Seven” cohort. Nvidia fell 1.2% and Tesla dropped 3.3% at the close, while Microsoft edged down 0.1% and Alphabet was little changed.
“This is (not) the beginning of the end of the tech dominance, it’ll turn out to be a buying opportunity,” said Hank Smith, director and head of investment strategy at Haverford Trust. Reuters
Technicians are also watching Apple’s chart. Bret Kenwell at eToro wrote that Apple has been testing its 50-day moving average — a widely watched trend line based on the average closing price over the past 50 sessions — with the $270 area in focus as a near-term support level.
Options positioning points to the same zone. Kenwell noted that the January $270 calls had the highest open interest — the number of contracts outstanding — as of Dec. 26.
Apple is also trading at a premium valuation, a backdrop that can amplify market reactions to any shifts in rate expectations. TradingView puts Apple’s market value at about $4.04 trillion and its trailing price-to-earnings ratio near 36.7.
The next near-term catalyst is macro. Fed meeting minutes are due Tuesday, and weekly jobless claims are scheduled for Wednesday because of the holiday, Investopedia reported.
For Apple, the next major company catalyst is earnings. Wall Street Horizon lists Apple’s next report date as unconfirmed for Jan. 29, 2026, after the market close, with investors likely to focus on iPhone demand, Services growth and guidance.
Into the New Year, traders will also watch whether the “Santa Claus rally” window — a seasonal stretch that often covers late December into early January — holds, and whether Apple can keep the $270 level intact as volume stays light. Reuters
