{"id":65408,"date":"2026-07-25T23:08:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T03:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit\/65408\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T23:08:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T03:08:18","slug":"global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit\/65408\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Market Pulse: Apple Hikes Prices Amid RAM Crisis; BP Nears Solar Exit"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit\/65408\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit\/65408\/#Tech_Hardware_Apple_Succumbs_to_%22RAMageddon%22\" >Tech Hardware: Apple Succumbs to &quot;RAMageddon&quot;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit\/65408\/#Energy_BP_Refocuses_on_Fossil_Fuels\" >Energy: BP Refocuses on Fossil Fuels<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit\/65408\/#Natural_Disasters_Triple_Threat_in_the_Pacific\" >Natural Disasters: Triple Threat in the Pacific<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit\/65408\/#E-Commerce_Cloud_Amazon_Eyes_AWS_Reacceleration\" >E-Commerce &amp; Cloud: Amazon Eyes AWS Reacceleration<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-pulse-apple-hikes-prices-amid-ram-crisis-bp-nears-solar-exit\/65408\/#Geopolitics_India_and_Australia_Forge_Energy_Corridor\" >Geopolitics: India and Australia Forge Energy Corridor<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Apple (<a href=\"\/stock\/AAPL\">AAPL<\/a>) has implemented immediate price hikes<\/strong> on MacBook and iPad models, with the entry-level <strong>MacBook Neo rising $150 to $949<\/strong>, as a global memory chip shortage driven by AI demand hits hardware margins.<\/li>\n<li><strong>BP (<a href=\"\/stock\/BP\">BP<\/a>) is in advanced negotiations<\/strong> to sell its <strong>Lightsource solar business<\/strong> to a Kuwait-backed consortium, a move that would offload billions in debt and signal a further retreat from green energy targets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Typhoon Noul has made landfall in southern China<\/strong>, forcing the evacuation of over <strong>340,000 residents<\/strong> in Guangdong province and causing the cancellation of more than <strong>150 flights<\/strong> in Hong Kong.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>) is projected to report Q2 revenue near $196 billion<\/strong> on July 30, with analysts expecting <strong>AWS cloud growth to accelerate to 33%<\/strong> despite cyclical shifts in consumer booking trends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tech_Hardware_Apple_Succumbs_to_%22RAMageddon%22\"><\/span>Tech Hardware: Apple Succumbs to &quot;RAMageddon&quot;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Apple (<a href=\"\/stock\/AAPL\">AAPL<\/a>) has officially raised prices across its Mac and iPad lineups, citing an &quot;unavoidable&quot; surge in component costs. CEO Tim Cook noted that the company can no longer absorb the skyrocketing prices of memory and storage chips, which are being diverted to <strong>AI data centers<\/strong>. The <strong>MacBook Neo<\/strong> saw its starting price jump from <strong>$799 to $949<\/strong>, while the education model rose to <strong>$819<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Analysts at <em>Counterpoint Research<\/em> suggest this &quot;RAMageddon&quot; is just beginning, with other PC manufacturers expected to follow suit in the second half of 2026. To combat falling sales due to higher sticker prices, Apple is reportedly preparing a <strong>&quot;device-leasing&quot; scheme<\/strong> dubbed &quot;Apple Upgrade.&quot; This subscription-based model, potentially launching in late July, would allow consumers to rent hardware for a monthly fee rather than paying the full upfront cost.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Energy_BP_Refocuses_on_Fossil_Fuels\"><\/span>Energy: BP Refocuses on Fossil Fuels<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>BP (<a href=\"\/stock\/BP\">BP<\/a>) is nearing a deal to divest its <strong>Lightsource solar arm<\/strong> to a consortium led by <strong>Wren House<\/strong>, the infrastructure wing of the Kuwait Investment Authority, and private equity firm <strong>Qualitas Energy<\/strong>. The sale is a cornerstone of BP\u2019s strategy to simplify operations and return to its core oil and gas business. While the exact sale price remains undisclosed, the transaction is expected to involve the buyer assuming <strong>several billion dollars of Lightsource\u2019s debt<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This divestment follows a series of retreats from renewable projects, including the abandonment of hydrogen plants in Britain and Australia. Under CEO Meg O\u2019Neill, BP is prioritizing <strong>shareholder returns and debt reduction<\/strong>, aiming to bring net debt down to <strong>$18 debt billion<\/strong> by the end of next year. The move highlights a broader industry trend where traditional energy giants are scaling back green ambitions in favor of higher-margin fossil fuel production.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Natural_Disasters_Triple_Threat_in_the_Pacific\"><\/span>Natural Disasters: Triple Threat in the Pacific<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Pacific region is currently facing a volatile weather pattern with three major systems active simultaneously. <strong>Typhoon Noul<\/strong> struck southern China early Sunday, bringing maximum sustained winds of <strong>145 km\/h<\/strong>. Authorities in <strong>Guangdong<\/strong> issued a red alert, the highest level, as the storm moved inland toward Huizhou and Shanwei, threatening massive flooding and mudslides.<\/p>\n<p>In the Central Pacific, <strong>Hurricane Fausto<\/strong> is maintaining Category 2 strength as it barrels toward Hawaii. Forecasters expect the storm to bring <strong>life-threatening surf<\/strong> to east-facing shores by Sunday night, with a potential landfall near the Big Island by Tuesday. Meanwhile, <strong>Tropical Storm Genevieve<\/strong> is undergoing <strong>rapid intensification<\/strong> off the coast of Mexico, with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicting it will become a <strong>Major Category 4 hurricane<\/strong> by Monday.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"E-Commerce_Cloud_Amazon_Eyes_AWS_Reacceleration\"><\/span>E-Commerce &amp; Cloud: Amazon Eyes AWS Reacceleration<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>) is set to report its second-quarter earnings on July 30, with the market laser-focused on <strong>Amazon Web Services (AWS)<\/strong>. Despite a 95% collapse in free cash flow earlier this year due to heavy AI infrastructure spending, Wall Street remains bullish. <strong>Bank of America<\/strong> recently raised its AWS growth forecast to <strong>33%<\/strong>, citing massive demand from AI startups like Anthropic.<\/p>\n<p>The company\u2019s retail segment is also showing resilience. While <strong>Booking Holdings (<a href=\"\/stock\/BKNG\">BKNG<\/a>)<\/strong> navigates cyclical travel trends, Amazon has sustained its revenue leadership through the introduction of <strong>Supply Chain Services<\/strong>, opening its logistics network to third-party businesses. Investors will be looking for confirmation that the <strong>$200 billion capex plan<\/strong> for 2026 will yield a significant return on invested capital (ROIC) through its custom <strong>Trainium AI chips<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geopolitics_India_and_Australia_Forge_Energy_Corridor\"><\/span>Geopolitics: India and Australia Forge Energy Corridor<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>India and Australia have moved decisively to secure their energy futures by signing a <strong>Joint Statement on Energy Security<\/strong>. The agreement focuses on building a resilient supply chain for <strong>critical minerals<\/strong> like lithium and cobalt, which are essential for battery manufacturing. Australia, a major supplier of coal and LNG to India, has also finalized arrangements to export <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/uranium\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"13\" title=\"Uranium\">uranium<\/a><\/strong> for India\u2019s civilian nuclear program.<\/p>\n<p>This strategic partnership aims to reduce regional dependence on single-source suppliers and stabilize energy prices amid Middle East volatility. The two nations are also collaborating on the <strong>India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership<\/strong>, which includes the launch of a solar training academy in Gujarat to support India\u2019s goal of reaching <strong>500GW of non-fossil fuel capacity<\/strong> by 2030.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Apple (AAPL) has implemented immediate price hikes on MacBook and iPad models, with the entry-level MacBook Neo rising 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