Apple posts its best single-day performance since 1998, gaining 15% after a trade pause temporarily shields it from tariff pressure.
Apple Inc. saw its stock soar by a stunning 15% on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 90-day pause on most of his newly imposed tariffs. The surge marks Apple’s strongest single-day performance since January 1998, when Steve Jobs was interim CEO and the company’s market cap was just $3 billion. Yesterday’s rally added a whopping $400 billion to Apple’s market value, taking it just shy of the $3 trillion milestone.
The tariff pause comes as a huge relief for tech giants like Apple, which had been bracing for potential disruptions to their supply chains. With a significant portion of iPhone production based in India and Vietnam, any escalations in tariffs threatened to increase costs and delay outputs. These factors have made many investors wary in recent weeks! The tariff suspension helps Apple maintain cost efficiency in its overseas manufacturing hubs—especially India, which now stands to gain even more from the shifting dynamics in global trade.
While the pause offers breathing room, China remains excluded from the relief, with tariffs on Chinese imports rising to 125%. As China still accounts for Apple’s third-largest market by sales, the hike introduces a layer of complexity for its long-term strategy in the region.
Market analysts view the surge as a reflection of renewed investor confidence in Apple’s near-term outlook, as it successfully sidesteps significant tariff-related costs. The news also plays into a broader global trade realignment, with India emerging as a key beneficiary.
Facing only 26% U.S. tariffs, India’s proactive diplomacy and increasing role in global supply chains—especially in electronics—have positioned it as a more reliable alternative to China and Southeast Asia. Companies like Apple are doubling down on Indian production, leveraging partnerships with firms like Tata Electronics to meet rising demand from U.S. consumers.
As the U.S. recalibrates its trade relationships under Trump’s “America First” policy, India is advancing its trade diplomacy, having secured over 10 FTAs in the last five years. With further reforms and infrastructure investment, India is poised to take center stage in global manufacturing, and Apple may just be the first of many companies to capitalize on this new trade era.
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