Apple closes above $2 trillion for the first time

New York(CNN Business) Apple shares rose Thursday, pushing the company's market value above $2 trillion at the market close for the first time ever.

The iPhone maker's stock briefly hit the $2 trillion mark Wednesday before dipping back slightly below that lofty level. Apple (AAPL) has surged 60% this year and is at an all-time high.

The stock, currently trading around $473 a share, is about to become more affordable for average investors to purchase, too.

Apple's stock will split four-for-one at the end of the month, which will cut the price of a single share to about $118. The value of Apple remains the same since the company will simply have more shares trading at a lower price.

Tesla (TSLA) also recently announced a stock split -- a move that could attract more millennial and Gen Z investors.

Apple reached the $2 trillion mark just over two years after passing the $1 trillion level. It took just five months for the stock to more than double after sinking in March. Apple, like many other tech stocks, has roared back to life in that time — even as the economy fell into recession.

It's not the first company in the world to be valued that high. Saudi Aramco topped that mark in December when it went public, but plunging oil prices have hurt the company's stock. Apple passed Saudi Aramco earlier this month after reporting strong earnings.

Two other US tech giants -- Amazon (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT) -- are moving closer to the $2 trillion mark too. Both are valued at above $1.6 trillion. Google owner Alphabet (GOOGL) is also worth more than $1 trillion.

Apple's success has also vaulted CEO Tim Cook into the ranks of billionaires -- one of the few CEOs to reach that level without having started the company he leads.

The market has brushed aside concerns that lawmakers have about the clout of Apple and other large tech giants -- as well as worries about how some of President Trump's immigration policies will hurt Apple and other major tech companies.

Investors are in love with Apple due to surging sales for subscription services like Apple Music, iCloud, Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade. There is also growing excitement about the impending launch of the iPhone 12, which is expected to have 5G connectivity.

Apple -- and other top techs for that matter -- are also holding up much better than many other companies during the global recession that has been brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.