Only 2 "Magnificent Seven" Stocks Are Beating the Market This Year. What's Going On?

Despite the S&P 500 gaining 8% year-to-date, only Apple and Nvidia from the 'Magnificent Seven' tech stocks are outperforming the broader market. Investor concerns about high oil prices, massive AI capital expenditures, and elevated market valuations (CAPE ratio at 41) have pressured most mega-cap tech stocks. Apple's cautious AI approach and focus on iPhone sales, combined with Nvidia's dominance in AI chips (90% market share), have positioned them as safer bets during market volatility.