Key highlights:
- AAPL has set an all-time high of $331 after a strong week marked by positive numbers
- Recent regulatory approvals in China and incoming AI breakthroughs have triggered investors’ appetite for the tech giant
- Citi and JPMorgan are tipping AAPL to finish 2026 on a high note as investors eye the Q3 earnings report
Apple stock has reached a new all-time high of $331, buoyed by a raft of major AI breakthroughs in China and the US. Wall Street’s heavy hitters, Citi and Morgan Stanley, have published bullish outlooks for AAPL stock, but fears of a price decline still hang in the air.
AAPL set a new record price of $330 – Here’s Why
AAPL began trading on Thursday with bullish fervour, rising to reach a new peak of $331, continuing a record-setting week for the iPhone maker. Before setting the all-time high, AAPL reached new highs on Wednesday, closing the trading day at $327, reflecting a 5% surge.
Apple has gained 29.49% since the start of 2026, with the stock surging by 10% in the last 30 days. The price surge sees AAPL become one of the strongest performers in the Dow Jones Industrial Average index.
Barely one month ago, Apple’s investors blasted the company over price hikes across its product lineup, sparking fears of a potential stock decline. However, a raft of positives has stoked investors’ optimism in APPL with artificial intelligence (AI) breakthroughs fuelling the stock.
The biggest catalyst came after the Cyberspace Administration of China approved Apple Intelligence for Chinese consumers. Emerging reports of Chinese technology firms Alibaba and Baidu integrating their AI models with Apple Intelligence triggered frenetic trading of AAPL stock.
Apple’s $AAPL on device AI has received approval for use on iPhones in China
Alibaba said that “Qwen will be integrated into Apple Intelligence experiences within iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS for users in China” – SeekingAlpha pic.twitter.com/pJ3gIYFa9R
— Evan (@StockMKTNewz) July 15, 2026
Furthermore, Apple is nearing a breakthrough that will allow large AI models to operate on iPhones without the need for expensive cloud computing. The iPhone maker has partnered with PrisML to shrink large language models (LLMs), allowing expanded AI features on Apple devices.
On the hardware side of things, Apple has cornered 20% of the global smartphone market in Q2 2026 with its services segment raking in revenues of over $30 billion. Investors are betting that expanded AI features and approval by Chinese authorities will attract a wave of hardware sales in the coming months.
Wall Street favors a bullish AAPL stock
Wall Street giant Citi gave a bullish outlook for AAPL, forecasting that the stock will finish 2026 at $365 from a previous estimate of $315. Citi analysts gave the stock a “Buy” rating after highlighting AAPL’s potential to add another 16% to its valuation, adding that customer loyalty will win over price hikes.
“We believe Apple’s ability to implement a selective price increase will help offset margin pressure, while its premium brand and loyal customer base should limit demand weakness,” said Citi.
JPMorgan also raised its end-of-year targets for AAPL to $345, while Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $360. Despite the bullish estimates by Wall Street giants, investors have their eyes peeled on Apple’s Q3 earnings report scheduled for the end of July.
Meanwhile, constructive US inflation data have lowered the probability of further rate hikes, providing a favourable backdrop for high valuation tech stocks. US stocks are rallying in 2026, braving previous macroeconomic headwinds to post record numbers.
Source:: AAPL Stock Surges to New All-Time High as Apple Racks Up Major AI Breakthrough