Why Apple Is Becoming the Market's New Safe Haven

A palpable sense of defensive rotation is shaping action across major asset classes today. Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, punctuated by reports of Iranian strikes on US bases and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, initially sent crude oil prices higher and triggered a widespread risk-off move [1][2]. While this geopolitical anxiety has pressured broader index futures and fueled a semiconductor sell-off [3][4], it has also accelerated a quiet but massive shift in equity market leadership. Traditional high-beta chipmakers and hyper-scale tech giants are facing increased scrutiny over their massive, unproven capital expenditures [5][6], leading traders…