$Apple(AAPL)$ When Tim Cook steps down, it wouldn’t just mark the end of an era at Apple - it would reset expectations. Apple’s strength was never being first. It was being right - they redefine trends not create. In AI, that discipline now feels like hesitation. The question isn’t whether Apple can catch up - it’s whether new leadership will redefine the game Because in AI, fast followers rarely win. They either leap ahead…or fade into relevance.
The market wants to believe the worst is over. I am not convinced. While momentum is holding, the Iran situation and Hormuz risk remain unresolved. Markets may be pricing in diplomacy, but the underlying backdrop is still fragile. For me, oil is the key signal. Any sharp move will quickly flow through to inflation, rates and sentiment. This is not a clean risk-on market. It may still move higher, but the upside feels conditional. For now, I would watch oil, shipping activity and political signals closely. This feels like a market supported more by hope than certainty.