IBM Signs Letter of Intent with Commerce Department, Shares Surge
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 21 2026
0mins
Major indices were higher for the second straight day as investors shrugged off the mixed earnings report from Nvidia, disallowing the market's biggest stock from souring sentiment. Utilities, Basic Materials, and Technology were the best performing sectors on the S&P 500, with the rally in the latter dominated once again by memory names. Major 2026 winners such as SanDisk, Western Digital, and Micronsaw outsized gains, though it was IBMthat stole the spotlight with a double-digit spike after the company announced the Letter of Intent signed jointly with the Department of Commerce to build an American quantum chip foundry. IBM share gains also helped Dow Industrials rejoin S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite with record high closing levels as the index topped 50,200 for the first time since February. On the downside, Consumer Staples was the worst performing sector in the benchmark as inline earnings and disappointing guidance slammed Walmartby over 7%.In the opening hour of the evening session, S&P E-minis are up 0.2% and the Nasdaq 100 contract is up 0.3%, while WTI Crude Oil remains below $98, amid renewed hopes that U.S.-Iran negotiations will yield an outcome acceptable to both sides. Volumes will likely be compressed on Friday as investors head into an extended Memorial Day holiday weekend.Check out this evening's top movers from around Wall Street, compiled by The Fly.HIGHER AFTER EARNINGS -Workdayup 11.2%Zoom Communicationsup 7.7%Take-Twoup 6.4%Lionsgate Studios Corp.up 5.6%Ross Storesup 5.4%Flowers Foodsup 1.8%Webull Corporationup 1.5%ALSO HIGHER -Peloton Interactiveup 6.4% after S&P SmallCap 600 index inclusionUniversal Technical Instituteup 5.2% after S&P SmallCap 600 index inclusionDOWN AFTER EARNINGS -Deckers Outdoordown 1.6%ALSO LOWER -Summit Therapeuticsdown 8.5% after being started at Bernstein at Underperform
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Analyst Views on WDAY
Wall Street analysts forecast WDAY stock price to rise
31 Analyst Rating
22 Buy
9 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 130.010
Low
235.00
Averages
275.19
High
325.00
Current: 130.010
Low
235.00
Averages
275.19
High
325.00
About WDAY
Workday, Inc. is an enterprise artificial intelligence (AI) platform for managing people, money, and agents. The Company provides organizations with cloud solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to solve business challenges, including supporting and empowering the workforce, managing finances and spending. It offers a suite of cloud-based enterprise solutions that address the needs of the C-suite on a platform designed to be open, extensible, and configurable, allowing integration with other applications and the ability for customers and partners to build custom applications. It offers Workday Build, which is an open developer platform that provides customers and partners with the ability to create and share AI-powered solutions. It serves financial services, government, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, manufacturing, professional and business services, retail, technology and media, and transportation.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
US Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Economic Signals
- Strong Market Performance: The S&P 500 rose by 0.22%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.72%, and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.36%, with all three indices reaching new all-time highs, reflecting market confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stocks Lead Gains: Dell Technologies surged 32% after reporting Q1 total revenue of $43.84 billion, significantly exceeding the consensus estimate of $35.52 billion, and raised its 2027 revenue forecast to between $165 billion and $169 billion, indicating strong market demand and growth potential.
- Positive Economic Data: The May Chicago PMI rose by 13.5 to 62.7, far surpassing expectations of 50.3, marking the fastest expansion pace in 4.25 years, which further bolstered market confidence in stocks.
- Oil Price Decline Benefits Stocks: Crude oil prices fell over 1% to a five-week low due to a preliminary agreement between the US and Iran, easing inflation concerns and supporting the upward trend in the stock market.
See More
Software Stocks Rally as Snowflake and Okta Report Strong Results
- Snowflake's Strong Performance: Snowflake saw a nearly 50% increase over four trading days following the holiday, announcing a $6 billion cloud and chip deal with Amazon, which reflects a surge in customer demand for AI tools and boosts the company's earnings guidance.
- Investor Confidence in Okta: Okta achieved a record 30% gain on Friday, with better-than-expected results indicating that businesses are ramping up investments in identity security tools to combat the rising threat of bot attacks as they transition to agentic AI.
- ETF Performance Surge: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF rose 8% this week and is up 21% for May, marking its best monthly performance since October 2001, signaling a gradual recovery of market confidence in the software sector.
- Overall Industry Recovery: Companies like Atlassian and ServiceNow saw increases of 26% and over 20%, respectively, indicating a clear recovery trend in the software industry driven by partnerships with AI, despite Microsoft still being down nearly 7% year-to-date.
See More
Software Stocks Surge as AI Concerns Ease Following Strong Earnings
- Software Stock Rebound: Software stocks rebounded this week due to strong performances from Snowflake and Okta, with the iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF rising 8% and closing May up 21%, marking the best monthly performance since October 2001, indicating renewed market confidence in the software sector.
- Snowflake's Stellar Performance: Snowflake's stock surged nearly 50% in the four trading days following the holiday, announcing a $6 billion cloud and chip deal with Amazon while raising guidance, reflecting a growing demand for AI tools among customers.
- Okta's Record Growth: Okta's stock jumped 30% on Friday, exceeding market expectations, with the CEO stating that businesses are investing more in identity security tools to tackle AI-driven security challenges, highlighting strong demand in the identity management market.
- Strong Performance from Other Software Firms: Atlassian rose 26%, ServiceNow surged over 20%, and cloud infrastructure giants Oracle and Microsoft increased by 16% and nearly 8%, respectively, although Microsoft remains down nearly 7% year-to-date.
See More
Software Stocks Surge as Bull Market Gains Momentum
- Software Stock Rally: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV) has surged 35% since its April low, with a 5% increase on Friday, indicating strong market confidence in software stocks and suggesting further upward momentum in the tech sector.
- Active Options Trading: On Friday, IGV options trading volume exceeded five times the daily average of the past 30 days, with over 50,000 calls purchased compared to just under 6,000 puts, reflecting a strong bullish sentiment among investors.
- Shift in Capital Flows: Total trading in IGV options reached $140 million, with $120 million in call contracts, surpassing the semiconductor ETF SMH, indicating a growing preference for the software sector over semiconductors.
- Diverse Trading Strategies: While some traders opted to hedge their bullish positions with spreads, significant notional trades included multi-million-dollar sales of 90-strike calls, showcasing optimism about short-term software stock performance.
See More
US Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Economic Signals
- Market Surge: The S&P 500 rose by 0.21%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.65%, and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.25%, with all three indices reaching new all-time highs, reflecting strong market confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stocks Rally: Dell Technologies surged over 31% after reporting Q1 total revenue of $43.84 billion, significantly exceeding the consensus estimate of $35.52 billion, and raised its 2027 revenue forecast to $165 billion to $169 billion, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure.
- Positive Economic Indicators: The May MNI Chicago PMI jumped 13.5 to 62.7, well above the expected 50.3, marking the strongest expansion pace in 4.25 years, which supports the bullish sentiment in the stock market.
- Oil Price Decline: Crude oil prices fell more than 1% to a five-week low as the US and Iran tentatively agreed to extend a ceasefire, easing inflation concerns and fostering optimism about the economic outlook.
See More
U.S. Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Market Sentiment
- Market Optimism: The U.S. stock indices reached all-time highs today, with the S&P 500 up 0.41%, the Dow Jones up 0.43%, and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.66%, driven by improved prospects for a peace deal in the Middle East, reflecting investor confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stock Surge: Dell Technologies surged over 30% after providing a sales outlook that exceeded analyst expectations, highlighting relentless demand for AI infrastructure upgrades, which further boosted the entire tech sector's attractiveness to investors.
- Crude Oil Price Decline: Crude oil prices fell more than 1% to a five-week low due to a preliminary agreement between the U.S. and Iran, easing inflation concerns and fostering optimism about a potential recovery in oil supply, which could benefit related industries.
- Strong Corporate Earnings: As of now, 84% of S&P 500 companies have beaten Q1 earnings estimates, with overall earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, indicating market reliance on tech for future growth amidst uncertainty.
See More
US Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Economic Signals
- Strong Market Performance: The S&P 500 rose by 0.22%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.72%, and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.36%, with all three indices reaching new all-time highs, reflecting market confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stocks Lead Gains: Dell Technologies surged 32% after reporting Q1 total revenue of $43.84 billion, significantly exceeding the consensus estimate of $35.52 billion, and raised its 2027 revenue forecast to between $165 billion and $169 billion, indicating strong market demand and growth potential.
- Positive Economic Data: The May Chicago PMI rose by 13.5 to 62.7, far surpassing expectations of 50.3, marking the fastest expansion pace in 4.25 years, which further bolstered market confidence in stocks.
- Oil Price Decline Benefits Stocks: Crude oil prices fell over 1% to a five-week low due to a preliminary agreement between the US and Iran, easing inflation concerns and supporting the upward trend in the stock market.
See More
Software Stocks Rally as Snowflake and Okta Report Strong Results
- Snowflake's Strong Performance: Snowflake saw a nearly 50% increase over four trading days following the holiday, announcing a $6 billion cloud and chip deal with Amazon, which reflects a surge in customer demand for AI tools and boosts the company's earnings guidance.
- Investor Confidence in Okta: Okta achieved a record 30% gain on Friday, with better-than-expected results indicating that businesses are ramping up investments in identity security tools to combat the rising threat of bot attacks as they transition to agentic AI.
- ETF Performance Surge: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF rose 8% this week and is up 21% for May, marking its best monthly performance since October 2001, signaling a gradual recovery of market confidence in the software sector.
- Overall Industry Recovery: Companies like Atlassian and ServiceNow saw increases of 26% and over 20%, respectively, indicating a clear recovery trend in the software industry driven by partnerships with AI, despite Microsoft still being down nearly 7% year-to-date.
See More
Software Stocks Surge as AI Concerns Ease Following Strong Earnings
- Software Stock Rebound: Software stocks rebounded this week due to strong performances from Snowflake and Okta, with the iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF rising 8% and closing May up 21%, marking the best monthly performance since October 2001, indicating renewed market confidence in the software sector.
- Snowflake's Stellar Performance: Snowflake's stock surged nearly 50% in the four trading days following the holiday, announcing a $6 billion cloud and chip deal with Amazon while raising guidance, reflecting a growing demand for AI tools among customers.
- Okta's Record Growth: Okta's stock jumped 30% on Friday, exceeding market expectations, with the CEO stating that businesses are investing more in identity security tools to tackle AI-driven security challenges, highlighting strong demand in the identity management market.
- Strong Performance from Other Software Firms: Atlassian rose 26%, ServiceNow surged over 20%, and cloud infrastructure giants Oracle and Microsoft increased by 16% and nearly 8%, respectively, although Microsoft remains down nearly 7% year-to-date.
See More
Software Stocks Surge as Bull Market Gains Momentum
- Software Stock Rally: The iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF (IGV) has surged 35% since its April low, with a 5% increase on Friday, indicating strong market confidence in software stocks and suggesting further upward momentum in the tech sector.
- Active Options Trading: On Friday, IGV options trading volume exceeded five times the daily average of the past 30 days, with over 50,000 calls purchased compared to just under 6,000 puts, reflecting a strong bullish sentiment among investors.
- Shift in Capital Flows: Total trading in IGV options reached $140 million, with $120 million in call contracts, surpassing the semiconductor ETF SMH, indicating a growing preference for the software sector over semiconductors.
- Diverse Trading Strategies: While some traders opted to hedge their bullish positions with spreads, significant notional trades included multi-million-dollar sales of 90-strike calls, showcasing optimism about short-term software stock performance.
See More
US Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Economic Signals
- Market Surge: The S&P 500 rose by 0.21%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.65%, and the Nasdaq 100 climbed by 0.25%, with all three indices reaching new all-time highs, reflecting strong market confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stocks Rally: Dell Technologies surged over 31% after reporting Q1 total revenue of $43.84 billion, significantly exceeding the consensus estimate of $35.52 billion, and raised its 2027 revenue forecast to $165 billion to $169 billion, indicating robust demand for AI infrastructure.
- Positive Economic Indicators: The May MNI Chicago PMI jumped 13.5 to 62.7, well above the expected 50.3, marking the strongest expansion pace in 4.25 years, which supports the bullish sentiment in the stock market.
- Oil Price Decline: Crude oil prices fell more than 1% to a five-week low as the US and Iran tentatively agreed to extend a ceasefire, easing inflation concerns and fostering optimism about the economic outlook.
See More
U.S. Stock Indices Reach All-Time Highs Amid Positive Market Sentiment
- Market Optimism: The U.S. stock indices reached all-time highs today, with the S&P 500 up 0.41%, the Dow Jones up 0.43%, and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.66%, driven by improved prospects for a peace deal in the Middle East, reflecting investor confidence in economic recovery.
- Tech Stock Surge: Dell Technologies surged over 30% after providing a sales outlook that exceeded analyst expectations, highlighting relentless demand for AI infrastructure upgrades, which further boosted the entire tech sector's attractiveness to investors.
- Crude Oil Price Decline: Crude oil prices fell more than 1% to a five-week low due to a preliminary agreement between the U.S. and Iran, easing inflation concerns and fostering optimism about a potential recovery in oil supply, which could benefit related industries.
- Strong Corporate Earnings: As of now, 84% of S&P 500 companies have beaten Q1 earnings estimates, with overall earnings projected to rise 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only expected at 3%, indicating market reliance on tech for future growth amidst uncertainty.
See More
