Shares of the iPhone maker have surged in recent months, in what some investors and analysts attribute to speculation over the tech giant potentially making a foray into virtual and augmented reality devices. That optimism briefly sent Apple’s market capitalization to US$3 trillion earlier this month, making it the first U.S. company to reach the milestone. (The Wall Street Journal)

Talking point: Apple’s rising share price is part of a broader rebound in tech stocks, after inflation worries and fresh indications of a U.S. interest-rate hike put a drag on major market indexes last week. While Apple has been less vocal about its virtual reality ambitions than other tech giants, particularly Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Platforms, investors are betting that a broader embrace of such technologies will drive the smartphone maker’s next growth phase. Apple’s stock has increased 18 per cent since Zuckerberg announced the name change on Oct. 28. CEO Tim Cook has been consistently bullish on augmented reality technology, saying last year that it would play a “critically important part of Apple’s future.”