More People Want the New iPhone, Boosting Apple Stock

While some critics may dismiss the iPhone 17 Pro’s “Cosmic Orange” finish as garish, Apple appears to be having the last laugh as the bold color choice drives sales and boosts investor confidence.

According to data from Counterpoint Research, the entire iPhone 17 series—including the standard iPhone 17, the high-performing Pro model, and the lightweight Air variant (available in a spectrum of colors, not just orange)—is significantly outselling its predecessor in key markets like the United States and China. Notably, the iPhone Air witnessed near-instantaneous sell-outs in China upon launch, signaling strong consumer demand.

This renewed consumer appetite has translated into positive momentum for Apple’s stock. Shares surged nearly 4% on the news, reaching a new all-time high. This comes as a much-needed win for CEO Tim Cook and investors who have watched the stock underperform compared to other members of the Magnificent Seven. With this surge, Apple’s year-to-date gains reach approximately 5%, still trailing behind Nvidia’s impressive 36% and Meta’s 25% growth.

However, the market wasn’t uniformly positive for the tech giants. Amazon’s cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS), experienced an outage causing disruptions for major websites and services. While the outage undoubtedly impacted user experience, Amazon’s stock managed to close up around 1.6%, showcasing the company’s resilience and market diversification.

The U.S. markets overall showed a positive trend, with major indexes closing in the green on Monday. Investors are now focusing on upcoming U.S.-China trade discussions and closely monitoring earnings reports from companies such as Netflix, Tesla, and Intel. These reports promise to provide further insights into consumer behavior, technological advancements, and the overall health of the global economy, suggesting the next few days on Wall Street could be just as vibrant as Apple’s latest color innovation.

AI set to be a boon for emerging markets — but some investors aren’t convinced

While the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform emerging markets is generating excitement, some investors remain cautious about its true impact on economic development.

“AI will change everything for emerging markets,” claimed Anton Osika, CEO and co-founder of Lovable, a Swedish startup focused on no-code development. This company’s products are aimed at enabling non-technical users to independently create applications and websites, theoretically opening the door for significant innovation in traditionally technologically challenged regions.

However, some experts suggest AI alone cannot overcome the deep-seated structural issues faced by emerging countries. “AI is not a silver bullet for challenges, such as limited access to local funding and concern surrounding revenue generation. Those remain for startups in emerging markets” mentioned Emmet King, managing partner and co-founder of J12 Ventures, a venture investment firm, highlighting the risks inherent with any investment within less developed markets.