AAPL — Apple.

Apple gains 1% while the VIX surges 9% — the only mega-cap in the green, confirming its role as the tape's defensive anchor.

Apple closed at $273.05, up 1.04%, on a day when the S&P 500 fell 0.24% and the VIX spiked 8.8% to 19.02 on the Touska seizure. It was the only mega-cap to finish positive — Tesla fell 2%, Amazon dropped 0.9% — underscoring Apple's status as the quality defensive holding institutions reach for when uncertainty spikes. Volume at 0.76x was below average but higher than the morning session, consistent with a stock being accumulated through allocation rather than chased on momentum.