It’s becoming increasingly clear that Apple (AAPL) and Nvidia (NVDA) are the pulse check for how traders are digesting tariff headlines.
Both names have been at the center of this latest round of market whipsaws — and how they move is often a good tell for what’s real, what’s rumor and what might be coming down the pipeline.
Late Sunday, markets reacted to reports that smartphones and semiconductors would be exempt from tariffs. The Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) futures popped, and sure enough, Apple and Nvidia opened strong. But just like we saw the week prior — when a similar rumor turned out to be fake — those gains quickly reversed.
Apple opened up about 9% on the headline and faded to 4.5% by mid-morning. Nvidia was up less than 2% when, under normal circumstances with real tariff exemptions, it might’ve jumped 4% to 5% out of the gate.
This isn’t the first time the market has reacted to premature or inaccurate headlines. Last Monday saw a similar rocket shot on the open, only for the move to unwind when the so-called “tariff pause” was debunked.
Two days later, that same news turned out to be legit. So this latest back-and-forth looks familiar — and the price action in Apple and Nvidia is telling us traders are still trying to figure out what’s true.
2 stocks, 1 trade idea
Apple is obviously the poster child for U.S. smartphone exposure, and it stands to benefit more than almost any other company if real exemptions materialize. Nvidia, meanwhile, is the semiconductor proxy.
If AI spending and chip capex stay hot — and tariffs don’t disrupt the supply chain — NVDA’s in a position to regain momentum.
But right now, neither name is confirming anything. If this tariff exemption chatter turns out to be more than a weekend trial balloon, I’d expect both stocks to break higher and potentially trigger buy signals.
Until then, this just adds another layer of volatility to an already noisy tape.
From a trading perspective, this is where the tape gives you more information than the headlines. Apple and Nvidia don’t need to go limit-up for us to get the message — it’s how they react to rumor versus confirmation that matters. So far, the action is hesitant. That doesn’t mean a move is off the table, just that it’s still forming.
Keep both tickers on the radar.
These aren’t just individual names — they’re barometers for how the broader Technology (XLK) and Consumer Discretionary (XLY) sectors are processing uncertainty. When those stocks commit to a direction, the market likely will too.
Monday Picks!
While Apple and Nvidia remain key sentiment gauges, a few other tickers are setting up for more tactical trades. Republic Services (RSG) continues to stand out — it’s in a strong uptrend, shrugging off broader market weakness and flashing solid momentum.
Costco (COST) is on my watchlist too, especially if it can close above its 50-day moving average.
Utilities are another pocket of strength right now. Consolidated Edison (ED) and CenterPoint Energy (CNP) both caught my attention with clean technical setups and relatively low implied volatility. These aren’t high-octane movers, but in a market obsessed with headlines, that’s part of the appeal.
Graham Lindman
Graham Lindman Trading
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*This is for informational and educational purposes only. There is inherent risk in trading, so trade at your own risk.
P.S. AutoStrike Versus the Market Crash: 3-0
A few months ago, Chuck Hughes called me with news he couldn’t share with anyone else yet.
After 40 years of trading (and mentoring me for the past few), he’d finally done something I thought was impossible – he automated his trading method.
As Chuck’s student, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful his strategies are.
His guidance helped me double my account in about six months, posting over $30,000 in profits.
But this new trade engine he built? It’s on another level entirely.
It’s called “AutoStrike” – and it doesn’t just find good stocks.
It scans through 100,000+ options contracts to identify the precise ones with what it sees as having exceptional profit potential.
The kind that can target $500… $1,000… sometimes even more per trade.
I was skeptical until I saw what was possible during one of the worst market weeks in January.
Based on the algorithm… On January 21st, AutoStrike could have flagged a trade on NET that would have paid $1,202 in just days.
Again, a few days later, on January 29th, another alert on FTNT that would have delivered $1,443.
And even by February, it was the exact same story on yet another opportunity with HWM, with a short at $1,225 in profits.
All while the market was getting hammered.
The most impressive part?
Even when stocks like NVDA dropped 8.5% in November and most traders got crushed.
Anyone following these “AutoStrike” alerts had a shot at walking away with $1,077 in profits.
How? Because Chuck and his team programmed it to help you find options with the power to pay out EVEN if a stock drops 10%+ in a month.
Of course, there would have been smaller wins and some that did not work out, and I cannot promise every single trade would play out this way.
But we will share the secret behind his incredible 96.2% win rate on real money trades – and now it’s fully automated, working 24/7.
Just check your phone once during market hours, and all the heavy lifting is done for you.
Just this morning, AutoStrike flagged a new trade setup that’s primed to target profits, and I want to share it with you before the window closes.
These alerts are time sensitive, but you can get your hands on the ticker…
