Tech Sell-Off: Why AAPL and MSFT Are Under Heavy Pressure

A wave of risk-off sentiment is sweeping through the markets, triggered primarily by a sharp correction in the technology sector. Surprise price hikes from Apple on its hardware lines, forced by rising component and memory costs, have raised serious concerns regarding margin compression and the overall sustainability of the AI investment cycle [1][2][3]. These cost pressures are hitting just as sticky U.S. inflation data—reflected in May's Core PCE Price Index at 3.4% YoY and headline PCE at 4.1%—keeps pressure on the Federal Reserve and limits hopes for near-term interest rate cuts. The cautious tone is clearly visible across asset classes. Major tech…