Both stocks have been critical to the S&P 500’s advance this year, attracting investors with their relatively durable revenue streams and market dominance. But whether they can fuel further gains is in question, given they trade at lofty multiples, face headwinds in their core businesses, and have limited direct exposure to artificial intelligence — a key driver behind this year’s jump.
Rate sensitive tech stocks suffered a blow on Wednesday after Treasury yields soared in the wake of Fitch’s downgrade of US sovereign debt. A tech-fueled rally has added more than $6 trillion in value to the S&P 500 index this year, but the sector has struggled to advance after coming within 5% of the Nasdaq 100’s all-time high last month…
Apple, whose 48% gain in 2023 has made it the only company valued at more than $3 trillion, will be especially critical if the rally is to get back on track. The stock accounts for nearly 8% of the S&P 500 Index, giving it enormous sway over the benchmark.