The first time I bought Paycom Software ( PAYC ) was in 2019 and even this first buy is in the red after more than six years. Comparing the performance of PAYC to the stock market development over the same timeI am a private investor, focused on long-term dividend growth investing. My investing career started more than 15 years ago. All companies I am investing in are analyzed thoroughly by myself before an investment decision is made. By writing articles on Seeking Alpha, I hope to inform other investors a ...

Economic Data - U.S. durable goods orders rose +0.5% m/m in September, core durable goods orders increased +0.6% m/m, exceeding expectations of +0.2% m/m [1] - Initial jobless claims fell by -6K to 216K, a 7-month low, compared to the expected 226K [1] - Chicago PMI fell to 36.3 in November, weaker than the expected 44.3 [1] Stock Market Performance - Wall Street's three main equity benchmarks ended in the green, with Robinhood Markets surging over +10% after acquiring a majority stake in LedgerX [2] - Chip stocks gained, with Marvell Technology climbing more than +5% and AMD rising over +3% [2] - Dell Technologies advanced more than +5% after raising its full-year revenue guidance [2] - Workday slumped over -7% due to disappointing Q3 subscription revenue [2] Futures and Options Trading - Trading of futures and options on the CME was halted due to a cooling issue at data centers, affecting U.S. Treasuries and equity futures [4] - December S&P 500 E-Mini futures were indicated up +0.10% before the technical outage [5] Federal Reserve Insights - The Fed's Beige Book indicated little change in U.S. economic activity, with some optimism among manufacturers and a slight decline in employment [6] - Rate futures priced in an 84.7% probability of a 25 basis point rate cut at the December FOMC meeting [7] European Market Updates - Euro Stoxx 50 Index down -0.02%, with bank stocks underperforming while energy and mining stocks gained [8] - French November CPI fell -0.1% m/m, while Italian GDP grew +0.1% q/q, stronger than expectations [11] Japanese Market Developments - Japan's Nikkei 225 closed slightly higher, with machinery and steel stocks outperforming [14] - Core consumer inflation in Tokyo rose +2.8% y/y, above expectations [16] - Japan's industrial production unexpectedly rose +1.4% m/m, stronger than expectations of -0.5% m/m [16] Chinese Market Trends - China's Shanghai Composite Index closed higher, led by AI-related stocks, while real estate stocks declined [13] - JPMorgan Chase upgraded its view on China's stocks to "Overweight," citing potential for gains next year [13]

Market Overview - All three major U.S. stock indexes achieved their fourth consecutive daily gains, driven by optimism from Nvidia's strong quarterly results and positive forward guidance from Dell Technologies [1][9] - Wall Street has shifted its expectations towards a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve in December, which is seen as a significant factor influencing market performance [2][9] Economic Indicators - A Reuters poll indicates analysts expect the S&P 500 to rise by 12% by year-end 2026, supported by a robust economy and continued strength in the tech sector [2][9] - The Fed's Beige Book had minimal impact on rate cut expectations, with markets pricing in an 84.9% probability of a 25-basis-point reduction in the Fed funds target rate at the December meeting [5][10] Sector Performance - The S&P 1500 Airlines index rose by 3.0%, reflecting strong performance on a traditionally busy travel day [5][10] - Among the S&P 500 sectors, utilities led in percentage gains, while communication services experienced the largest decline [7][10] Company-Specific Developments - Dell Technologies saw a 5.8% increase in stock price following better-than-expected earnings and an optimistic forecast [7][10] - Workday's stock fell by 7.9% after reporting third-quarter subscription revenue that met estimates, while Deere's shares dropped by 5.7% due to a weaker-than-expected annual profit forecast impacted by tariffs [7][10] Market Breadth - Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a ratio of 3.37-to-1 on the NYSE, with 290 new highs and 29 new lows recorded [8][10] - On the Nasdaq, 3,183 stocks advanced compared to 1,492 that declined, resulting in a 2.13-to-1 ratio of advancing to declining issues [8][10]

Market Performance - Major U.S. equities indexes, including the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq, rose close to 1% ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, driven by renewed optimism about a potential Federal Reserve rate cut next month [1] - Dell Technologies was highlighted as one of the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500, with shares increasing nearly 7% after the company raised its outlook and reported soaring demand for its artificial intelligence products [2] Company-Specific Developments - Robinhood Markets saw its shares soar nearly 10% as it expanded into prediction markets by acquiring LedgerX in partnership with Susquehanna International Group [2] - Petco Health and Wellness shares jumped 18% following a surprise profit report and an optimistic outlook due to its transformation efforts [3] - Workday was the worst performer in the S&P 500, with shares down 9% amid concerns regarding subscription revenue [3] - Deere & Company shares fell 5% after the company issued a weak forecast and warned of challenging market conditions [3] - HP's shares declined 2% as it announced a cost-cutting plan involving layoffs and provided a weak outlook due to increased costs from U.S. tariffs [4]

Core Insights - ADP Workforce Now has been recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Human Capital Management Solutions, Q4 2025 evaluation, receiving the highest scores in 17 criteria within the Current Offering and Strategy categories [1][2][4] Group 1: Evaluation and Recognition - Forrester evaluated vendors based on strategy, current offering, and customer feedback through a detailed RFI, live demonstrations, and client interviews [2] - ADP is noted as a strong competitor in the HCM market, suitable for organizations seeking advanced talent and workforce management solutions beyond payroll [4] Group 2: Product Features and Innovations - ADP Workforce Now is recognized for its next-gen AI capabilities, including automation through ADP Assist, which provides process automation, proactive insights, and personalized experiences [5][6][7] - The solution offers comprehensive HR, benefits, compensation, and compliance services, standing out in the payroll market and effectively managing complexities for large global enterprises [6][7] Group 3: Client Feedback and Market Position - Customers commend ADP for its overall HCM solution, payroll services, benchmark data, reporting, analytics, and workforce planning tools [2][6] - ADP's transparent pricing model is highlighted as clear and cost-effective, with AI capabilities included at no additional cost [6][7]

Core Insights - TriNet has announced a new suite of AI-powered HR solutions aimed at empowering small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with personalized, data-driven support [1][2][3] Group 1: AI-Powered Solutions - The new offerings are designed to provide intelligent and responsive HR support while ensuring privacy and security controls [1] - TriNet's AI strategy involves a human-in-the-loop model, where AI handles repetitive tasks and HR professionals offer strategic insights [2][3] - The suite includes features like a virtual health assistant, TriNet Assistant for HR inquiries, and a Dynamic Dashboard for efficient task management [6] Group 2: Strategic Importance - The company emphasizes that HR is crucial for business success, especially as workplaces evolve [2] - TriNet aims to help SMBs make proactive, data-informed decisions that align HR with broader growth objectives [3] - The launch of these tools is part of a broader initiative to prepare businesses for the rapidly changing workplace landscape in 2026 [3]

Group 1 - Lyft shares surged after Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, announced an expanded partnership to introduce robotaxi services in Nashville starting next year, while Uber's shares declined [3] - U.S.-listed shares of Alibaba increased following reports that China Unicom will purchase its artificial intelligence semiconductors [3] - Workday's stock was the best performer in the S&P 500 after Elliott Investment Management disclosed a stake of over $2 billion and praised the company's management strategy [2][5] Group 2 - Nvidia shares fell after reports indicated that China has blocked the sale of its AI chips to local tech companies, impacting other chipmakers and AI-related stocks like Broadcom, Oracle, and Palantir [4][5] - Major U.S. equity indexes showed mixed performance ahead of a crucial Federal Reserve interest rate decision, with the Dow rising while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq experienced declines [2][5] - Oil and gold futures saw slight decreases, while the yield on the 10-year Treasury note remained stable [4]

Market Overview - U.S. stock index futures showed little change as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's monetary policy announcement after a two-day meeting [1] - The Fed is expected to reduce borrowing costs by at least 25 basis points, influenced by indicators of a weakening jobs market [1] Interest Rate Expectations - Market participants anticipate a total interest rate reduction of approximately 68 basis points by the end of the year, based on data from LSEG [2] - Investors are particularly focused on Chair Jerome Powell's speech and the "dot plot" projections to assess future rate cuts [2] Market Sentiment and Volatility - Any hawkish signals from the Fed could disrupt positive investor sentiment and lead to market volatility [3] - The recent rally in Wall Street, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching record highs, is being tested by the upcoming Fed meeting [4] Company-Specific Developments - New Fortress Energy's stock surged by 48% after securing a liquefied natural gas supply agreement with the Puerto Rican government [5] - Workday's shares increased by 5.6% following news that activist investor Elliott Management acquired a stake exceeding $2 billion in the company [5]

Deal Overview - Thoma Bravo is in advanced talks to acquire Dayforce [1] - The deal would be one of Thoma Bravo's largest ever [1] Industry Focus - Dayforce is a human resources software provider [1]

Group 1: AI Industry Developments - OpenAI launched a new AI image generator for ChatGPT, which has minimal restrictions, allowing users to create photorealistic images and edit existing ones, leading to a surge of AI-generated content on social media [1][2] - The competitive landscape in AI is intensifying, with companies like Grok and DeepSeek pushing larger firms like Alphabet to adopt more aggressive strategies, including the release of semi-complete products [2] - The shift from "AI Builders" to "AI Appliers" is underway, indicating a transition where companies leveraging AI to disrupt traditional industries will yield significant returns [4][30] Group 2: Company Highlights - Nvidia's shares have increased nearly 2,500% since May 2019, driven by excitement around AI technologies [3] - Monolithic Power Systems Inc. (MPWR) is a leader in power management chips, with a market cap of $30 billion and expected revenue growth of 40% this year, driven by demand in AI and autonomous vehicles [11][13] - Workday Inc. (WDAY) has become the largest cloud-based human capital management company, serving over 60% of Fortune 500 companies, and is well-positioned to benefit from rapid AI advancements [21][22] - Xometry Inc. (XMTR) is revolutionizing the 3D printing market by providing an AI-powered marketplace for custom-manufactured parts, with revenues projected to reach $1 billion by 2028 [25][29] Group 3: Market Trends and Opportunities - The AI Revolution is creating a divide between those who benefit from AI advancements and those who do not, with significant investment opportunities still available in innovative AI companies [30][32] - The current market selloff presents attractive entry points for companies like Workday and Monolithic Power, which are trading at lower valuations compared to their historical averages [15][22] - The potential for nearly a trillion dollars in new investments in AI is anticipated, particularly in lesser-known sectors of the AI Revolution [33]