Apple (AAPL) has been the odd one out in 2025.
While stocks like Nvidia (NVDA) and Meta (META) have led the AI-fueled rally, Apple has lagged — trading mostly sideways and currently one of the worst-performing stocks of the Magnificent 7, surpassed only by the notoriously volatile Tesla (TSLA).
So what’s behind the underperformance in AAPL stock? And could this selloff be the calm before a breakout in the second half of the year?
Down 18% year-to-date, Apple has gained a respectable 21% since the market’s April lows, while Nvidia surged by a staggering 82% in the same period. Plus, at the end of June, Apple was the only Magnificent 7 stock currently trading below both its 100-day and 200-day moving averages (even including TSLA).
This trend has frustrated investors, but some traders are watching this consolidation closely — especially as volatility in other mega-cap names starts to cool.
A federal judge just rejected Apple’s request to dismiss the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit — which accuses the tech giant of maintaining a “walled garden” that suppresses competition and inflates profit margins.
While this won’t impact day-to-day price action just yet, it’s a macro pressure to be aware of — especially for long-term investors.
Despite leading the hardware revolution, Apple has been lagging in artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. But that may be changing.
Rumors suggest Apple could acquire Perplexity AI, a ChatGPT rival. The company also announced a $500 billion investment over 4 years into Apple Intelligence.
With a massive device ecosystem already in place, the real question is: will Apple’s delayed push into consumer AI be enough to catch up?
Apple insiders have sold shares for 12 straight months — with zero insider buys reported.
But there’s one exception: Congressman Ro Khanna disclosed a purchase of Apple stock at the end of May. That stands out, especially when paired with the chart setup.
According to Barchart’s Put/Call Ratio, the open interest ratio is falling as price holds steady — a potential sign that bearish bets are being closed and bulls are quietly stepping in.
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