Apple's Market Value Plummets as Tech Titans Reorder Global Rankings

In recent days, significant fluctuations in the U.S. market have drawn global attention, especially affecting tech giants like Apple. Since April 2, following the announcement of the "Reciprocal Tariff Scheme," Apple's stock has experienced a pronounced decline. By the close of trading this Tuesday, Apple has seen a consecutive four-day drop, wiping out 23% of its market value. This shrinkage has brought its total market capitalization down to $2.59 trillion, a reduction of roughly $1.5 trillion from its historical peak.

This precipitous drop in stock value has caused a major shift in the global market capitalization leaderboard, with Microsoft reclaiming its position as the world's most valuable company with a market value of $2.64 trillion. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Microsoft, its first return to the top since January 2023.

Analyzing Apple's stock performance, its price has fallen from a high of $223.8 to $172.4 per share since April 2, leading to a staggering evaporation of over $770 billion in market value, equivalent to more than 5 trillion yuan. Notably, on April 3, Apple's shares plummeted by 9.32% in a single day, resulting in a loss of nearly $150 billion in market capitalization, the largest single-day decline since 2022.

Apple now faces a crucial decision amid severe market challenges: whether to absorb the added costs from increased tariffs on its products, predominantly assembled in China, or pass these added burdens on to consumers worldwide.

This sequence of events is testing Apple's strategic decision-making capabilities and has sparked widespread discussions among global investors about the future trajectory of the technology sector.