New York, Feb 24, 2026, 10:05 (ET) — Regular session on.
- Apple stock climbed roughly 3%, trading at $274.23 earlier in the session.
- Apple’s decision to shift a portion of Mac mini manufacturing to Houston later this year sent shares higher.
- Investors are sizing up changes to U.S. tariff policy, with Apple’s shareholder meeting also on the docket for later Tuesday.
Apple stock added roughly 3%, reaching $274.23 by 10:00 a.m. ET after word came that some Mac mini production is heading from Asia to Houston later this year. The Dow advanced 0.4%. Nasdaq ticked up 0.2%. S&P 500 hovered near flat.
Washington’s trade rules shifted once again as a new 10% tariff kicked in just after midnight Tuesday, according to a customs notice. Whether that jumps to 15%—or when—remains up in the air, with legal fights likely on the horizon. “We can all agree that the U.S. is not facing a balance of payments crisis,” IMF’s Gita Gopinath told Reuters. Reuters
After Monday’s slide, the S&P 500 finished down 1%. The Dow lost 821.91 points, off 1.7%, with renewed tariff jitters and fresh anxiety over artificial intelligence rattling investors.
Apple said its Houston expansion will mark the debut of Mac mini production on U.S. soil, and boost output of the company’s advanced AI servers at the same location. The company’s also planning to open a 20,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston later this year, with the goal of training students, supplier employees, and other American firms. “Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing,” CEO Tim Cook said. Apple
Elsewhere, Morgan Stanley flagged stronger momentum in services. Analyst Erik Woodring reported that App Store net revenue is tracking 9% higher year over year so far in February. He added, “March quarter App Store revenue would end the quarter in line with our +8% Y/Y forecast.” Services—Apple’s high-margin segment covering the App Store and subscriptions—remains in focus. Investing
The stock caught attention, despite the main story of the day centering on a desktop computer rather than the iPhone. Instead, traders zeroed in on the Houston expansion—specifically, what it implies for costs, timing, and political risk, especially now that tariffs have reemerged as a headline issue.
The change only goes so far. According to The Verge, Mac mini makes up under 1% of Apple’s overall sales, and production isn’t leaving Asia—there aren’t plans to bring iPhone manufacturing stateside, either.
Should tariff rates climb or exemptions get tighter, hardware manufacturers may see costs tick up and cross-border shipments get bumpier—components and finished products alike. Apple, for all its moves to ramp up U.S. capacity at the margins, stays vulnerable to policy headlines.
Apple holds its annual shareholder meeting Tuesday at 8:00 a.m. Pacific, with the event taking place online, per the company’s investor relations page. Investors will be watching for updates on the Houston expansion, any commentary on supply chain risk, and management’s take on tariffs.
