Apple CEO Cook Joins Trump China Trip as AAPL Holds Near $280 Record

Apple shares trade near record highs around $280 as CEO Tim Cook joins President Trump's China trade mission alongside Elon Musk and Nvidia's Jensen Huang, putting AI, chips, and tariffs squarely in focus. The stock's resilience reflects a standout earnings season: Q2 FY26 revenue hit $111.18B (+16.6% YoY), Services set a record $30.976B, EPS beat at $2.01, and Apple authorized a $100B buyback with a 4% dividend hike to $0.27. The narrative has evolved from March's Mag7 leadership on Q1's $143.76B revenue beat, through May's debate over capital discipline versus AI underinvestment, to the latest geopolitical wildcard as a 90% memory price surge and $710B peer capex loom over margins.