本周二，随着埃克森美孚（Exxon Mobil）的股价从早间跌势恢复，以及苹果（Apple）股价涨势趋于平缓，两家公司在全球公司市值排行榜上交替领先。根据谷歌财经（Google Finance）的数据，到下午三点时，苹果市值（股价乘以流通股总数）一举超过埃克森50亿美元。不过，埃克森股价在尾盘阶段迅速上扬，并最终重新超越苹果。

    苹果股价收于374.01美元，上涨20.8美元（5.89%）。埃克森股价收于71.64美元，上涨1.45美元（2.07%）。目前埃克森市值（3,483.2亿美元）略微领先于苹果（3,467.4亿美元）。

    2010年4月，苹果超越微软（Microsoft），成为全球市值最高的科技公司。而本周二，苹果又一举成为全球所有领域市值最高的上市公司——至少持续了几个小时。

    1997年秋，麦克•戴尔曾被问及如果成为苹果首席执行官，将如何经营公司。他回答将关闭苹果并把钱还给股东。将近14年过去了，现在，戴尔（Dell）市值仅为270亿美元，而苹果市值是它的12.7倍。

    译者：项航

    The lead changed hands several times Tuesday as Exxon Mobil (XOM) recovered from early losses and Apple's (AAPL) gains leveled off. By 3:00 p.m, Apple's market capitalization (share price times number of shares outstanding) was more than $5 billion larger than Exxon's, according to Google Finance. As the closing bell approached, however, Exxon surged faster than Apple and retook the lead.

    Apple closed at $374.01, up $20.80 (5.89%) for the day. Exxon closed at $71.64, up $1.45 (2.07%). That put Exxon's market cap ($348.32 billion) slightly ahead of Apple's ($346.74 billion).

    Apple became the world's most valuable technology company when it passed Microsoft (MSFT) in April 2010. On Tuesday it became, at least for a few hours, the world's most valuable public company in any field of business.

    In the fall of 1997, Michael Dell was asked what he would do if he were CEO of Apple. He answered that he would shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders (link). Today, nearly 14 years later, Dell (DELL) is worth $27 billion and Apple is worth 12.7 Dells.