For the first time in almost a year, all Apple Inc. retail stores in the United States are open.
That milestone, along with weekend news that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway BRK.B,
is still optimistic about its 5.4% stake in the technology giant, sent shares of Apple AAPL,
jumping over 5% on Monday, the biggest gain in more than four months.
Apple closed all of its stores outside China on March 13, 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world. Its stores in China had closed that February.
But on Monday, all 270 Apple stores in the United States were open in some capacity, although some still have restrictions, such as being by appointment only. The stores in Texas were the last to reopen on Monday, after additional delays caused by the terrible winter storm in February.
9to5 Mac was the first to report openings. He also said that the only Apple stores that remain closed in the world are about a dozen in France and Brazil.
Several stores in the United States reopened last May, but many were forced to close again as the pandemic worsened and local restrictions were tightened. Reopened stores are seen as a thermometer in local commercial conditions and are an encouraging sign of an economic recovery as COVID-19 vaccines are distributed more widely and cases are declining across the country.
Apple shares rose more than 5% on Monday, their best performance since a 6.4% gain on October 12. Apple shares have fallen 3.7% in the year to date, but have risen 71% in the past 12 months, compared to the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA,
gains of 3% this year and 18% last year.