Back in May, we reported on Microsoft's market cap increasing enough for the company to surpass Alphabet (Google) as the third most valuable company. At the time, I speculated that this could likely change back in Google's favor quickly.
That has happened as Microsoft is now ranked 4th again, but the company has crossed a market cap of over $800 billion for the first time.
The milestone market capitalization figure was reached this week. Back in May, Microsoft was valued at $753 billion so has continued growth in recent months. However, Google's growth appears to have been sharper as the company has regained third spot.
As I mentioned in May, expect Google and Microsoft to trade position as they race to catch Amazon (2nd) and Apple (1st). With Facebook ranked as the 5th most valuable company, it is clear the tech industry is dominating the business world.
Race to the Top
It is also clear that all these companies are thriving despite what their rivals do. In the background of the market back and forth is the race to become the world's first trillion-dollar company. Apple is out in front and seems the most likely, but a cooling smartphone market may hamper Cupertino's chances.
Amazon is thriving in cloud and expanding its grip on retail with automated store solutions. Google's grip on search and mobile and Microsoft's winning cloud-first strategy also place them firmly in the mix. Apple may be leading, but don't be surprised if any of the current top four companies reach a trillion dollars first.
Microsoft's performance is pleasing investors. The company's share price has increased over 21% in 2018 alone. CEO Satya Nadella will announce Microsoft's latest quarterly earnings on 19th July.
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