Investing.com — Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock rose on Wednesday, outperforming the broader tech sector by the widest margin in a year as investors increasingly view the iPhone maker as a safe haven amid concerns about artificial intelligence disruption.

While the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index fell 2%, Apple shares gained 2%, marking its most significant outperformance relative to the index since early 2025. This continues a recent trend, with Apple up nearly 6% in the current month while the Nasdaq 100 has declined 3%.

The divergence follows Apple’s strong quarterly results last week, which featured record sales and a better-than-expected forecast.

Investors appear to be distinguishing Apple’s hardware-focused business from other tech companies that may face greater disruption from new AI technologies. Recent AI tools released by Alphabet and startup Anthropic have triggered widespread selling across the tech sector as market participants worry these services could threaten growth prospects for many companies.

The market’s reaction suggests that hardware businesses like Apple’s may be viewed as more insulated from the immediate competitive threats posed by rapidly evolving AI capabilities that have rattled other segments of the technology industry.

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