Shockwaves rolled through Wall Street on Tuesday as both Apple and Microsoft briefly crossed the astonishing $4 trillion market cap mark — a level that once felt almost sci-fi. Microsoft held above it by market close, while Apple dipped just under, but the symbolism is loud enough: tech giants aren’t just back on top of markets, they’re writing a new chapter. Investors joked online that these valuations make “trillion” sound like pocket change, though some folks do worry about bubbles and too-much-hype vibes.

Meanwhile Nvidia still wears the crown with over $4.6 trillion, sitting like a final boss in the market-cap leaderboard. Microsoft’s momentum came from sealing a 27% stake in OpenAI’s for-profit arm, cementing a partnership that started back in 2019. Traders say it signals deep AI confidence, though a few analysts muttered that too much reliance on one AI partner could bite later. Still, investors cheered — about 2% climb isn’t earth-shaking, but it speaks.

Elsewhere Apple’s stock has been sprinting thanks to the iPhone 17’s unexpectedly strong demand. A 25% rise in just three months? Kinda impressive, especially after some critics said the smartphone era was getting “boring.” Upcoming earnings Thursday have shareholders buzzing, and JPMorgan lifted its target price to $290, calling sentiment the strongest in a year. Some users online laugh that Apple hype “never dies, just respawns each product cycle.”

Interestingly Apple also seems to be dodging U.S.–China tariff drama more gracefully than expected. Strategic shifts in manufacturing to India and Vietnam — plus staying chummy with Washington — might be paying off. Analysts say it’s part geopolitics, part logistics chess. Microsoft also reports earnings this week, and with AI fueling its brand heat, markets look like they’re waiting for fireworks. Tech dominance isn’t just back; it’s rewriting what ‘big’ even means in finance now.

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/28/apple-microsoft-4-trillion-market-cap.html