Volatility: Apple, Amazon, & Microsoft 7-31-26 - Becker Business

Summary3 min read

Becker Business Podcast Summary

Episode: Volatility: Apple, Amazon, & Microsoft 7-31-26
Host: Scott Becker
Release Date: July 31, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode, hosted by Scott Becker, dives into the week’s significant stock market volatility, focusing on the dramatic movements in the share prices of three major tech giants: Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft. Becker discusses recent earnings, surprising shifts in stock values, and offers insights into broader investment strategies based on these events.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. A Wild Week in the Stock Market

Scott sets the scene by noting the extreme ups and downs of the week.
- “It's been up. It's been way back. It's been down then way back up the other day today I think relatively flat. But what's fascinating is some of the big names and the big moves.” [00:39]

2. Microsoft’s Record Week

Performance: Microsoft experiences a 20% rise this week, which Becker describes as a surprise and "knocking it out of the park."
- “Microsoft is having essentially a record week. It's up 20% this week. I don't know who saw that coming, but just knocking it out of the park.” [00:50]
Personal disclosure: Becker holds Microsoft stock individually.

3. Amazon’s Earnings Surge

Performance: After posting earnings, Amazon’s stock jumps 15% in a single day (Friday).
- “Amazon rushed on earnings. … It's up 15% today.” [00:56]
Personal disclosure: Becker also holds Amazon stock individually.
Becker expresses amazement at the sudden shift:
- “Would have seen that. Amazon's been sort of in the cost but been flat year to date. 15% up today. Would have seen that.” [01:33]

4. Apple’s Unexpected Drop

Performance: Apple, despite strong earnings, drops 9% today, even though it remains up 11% for the year.
- “The third stock that's making a big move notwithstanding great earnings is Apple which is down about 9% today. It's still up about 11% year to date but again that had been one of the biggest winners amongst the Magnuson seven but getting crushed today more on the outlook going forward than this past quarter's earnings.” [01:02]
The fall is attributed to concerns about future outlook rather than the past quarter's results.

5. Volatility and Investment Lessons

Becker highlights unpredictability in the markets:
- “A lot of volatility and again, you know it rates lesson again that you can't pick who's going to be up or down. At least most of us can't.” [01:16]
He promotes the value of index funds over individual stock picking:
- “We're far better off in index funds than individual stocks. I mean I look at this, Microsoft's been down all year. The heck would have thought it's going to go up 20% this week.” [01:20]
- “All these things are things that are so hard to predict and that's why I think we're almost all of us so much better off with index funds. Than we are trying to pick stocks, individual stocks.” [01:38]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the challenge of predicting winners:
“You can't pick who's going to be up or down. At least most of us can't.” — Scott Becker [01:16]
On the value of index funds:
“We're far better off in index funds than individual stocks.” — Scott Becker [01:20]
Personal disclosure and candid reaction:
“God bless. I actually hold some Amazon individually, Microsoft up 20% this week. We also hold some Microsoft individually. So God bless both those. Apple down 9%. A lot of volatility…” — Scott Becker [01:10]

Timestamps for Important Segments

[00:39]: Introduction to market volatility and the big moves this week
[00:50]: Microsoft’s 20% rise highlighted
[00:56]: Amazon surges on earnings, 15% up in one day
[01:02]: Apple’s 9% drop despite strong earnings
[01:16]: Discussion on unpredictability and investment approach
[01:20]: Endorsement of index funds over stock picking
[01:38]: Final thoughts on the unpredictability of individual stocks

Takeaways for Listeners

The stock market’s biggest names can swing wildly, even with strong fundamentals or earnings.
Predicting individual stock movements, even for companies like Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft, is extremely challenging.
Scott Becker’s personal experience this week underscores his longstanding advice: most investors are better off choosing diversified index funds rather than trying to beat the market with individual stocks.

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Transcript2 lines

[00:00]
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[00:33]
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This is Scott Becker with the Becker Business in the Becker Private Equity podcast. Today's discussion is volatility, Apple, Amazon and Microsoft. So here's the deal and what a week in the stock market. It's been up. It's been way back. It's been down then way back up the other day today I think relatively flat. But what's fascinating is some of the big names and the big moves. First, Microsoft is having essentially a record week. It's up 20% this week. I don't know who saw that coming, but just knocking it out of the park, Amazon rushed on earnings. It's literally we're talking Friday. We're going to list this on Friday. It's up 15% today. The third stock that's making a big move notwithstanding great earnings is Apple which is down about 9% today. It's still up about 11% year to date but again that had been one of the biggest winners amongst the Magnuson seven but getting crushed today more on the outlook going forward than this past quarter's earnings. But again what's fascinating this week is Amazon up 15% today. God bless. I actually hold some Amazon individually, Microsoft up 20% this week. We also hold some Microsoft individually. So God bless both those. Apple down 9%. A lot of volatility and again, you know it rates lesson again that you can't pick who's going to be up or down. At least most of us can't. We're far better off in index funds than individual stocks. I mean I look at this, Microsoft's been down all year. The heck would have thought it's going to go up 20% this week. Amazon's been sort of in the cost but been flat year to date. 15% up today. Would have seen that. Apple's been crushing it down 9% today. Didn't see that coming. I mean all these things are things that are so hard to predict and that's why I think we're almost all of us so much better off with index funds. Than we are trying to pick stocks, individual stocks. Fascinating day in the market. Thank you for listening to the Becker Business and the Becker Private Equity Podcast. Thank you so much.