Markets Rally on Micron Beat; Apple Hikes Prices

Chips Lead the Charge

Micron delivered a strong earnings outlook overnight and sent AI-linked stocks higher. Futures for the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all gained on the back of the news. QUALCOMM and AMD rallied in sympathy. Memory stocks are now among the best performers of 2026, with analysts debating which name — Micron, Western Digital, or SanDisk — has the most room to run from here.

Apple Raises Mac and iPad Prices

Apple lifted prices on Macs and iPads by $200 or more on some models, according to the Wall Street Journal. The move signals the company is passing tariff costs directly to consumers. It adds pressure to an already cautious consumer spending backdrop.

Darden Disappoints on Guidance

Darden Restaurants reported a strong quarter but issued a profit outlook that underwhelmed investors. The Olive Garden parent was one of today's key earnings reporters. Analysts will watch whether the soft guidance reflects broader consumer caution or company-specific issues.

Bears Circle Chips and Consumer Credit

Short sellers are active across semiconductor ETFs. Leveraged chip funds SOXL and MUU saw short interest spike 49% and 33% in a single session. Separately, Wolfspeed remains the most shorted name tracked by ORTEX, with SI at 113% of free float. On the consumer side, Credit Acceptance Corp saw short interest jump from 14% to 21% in a week. Bears appear to be targeting subprime auto lenders as credit stress builds.

Exec Sales Near Record Highs

Insiders at NVIDIA, Dell, and AST SpaceMobile filed large sales recently. NVIDIA board member Mark Stevens sold $410M in shares. Dell's Silver Lake sold $869M. These disposals near all-time highs are worth monitoring as a sentiment signal.