Cloud computing has transformed the technology landscape over the past decade and promises to be an important industry driver over the next decade. Created almost accidently as a means or organizing customer invoices, cloud has grown from management of outsourced technology hardware resources to encompass tasks up to and including software development, big data analytics, and, now, artificial intelligence (AI). Given that delivery of AI mainly occurs within a hybrid cloud environment, emergence of AI-as-a-service represents a positive driver of cloud service revenues in the coming years. The leading providers of cloud services tend to be large technology and communications services companies that provide many goods and services distinct from or adjacent to their cloud businesses. These companies include Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and others in the United States, along with Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent, and others in China. Collectively, participants in the cloud eco-system grew revenue at a high-teens compound annual rate from 2016 to 2023. A recent modest slowdown in revenue growth reflected impediments to normal business activity from the supply-chain crisis, inflation, and rising interest rates. Even so, demand for cloud services has held up relatively well, as cloud transition is a long-tailed process and cloud transformation has become an imperative. Looking ahead, with inflation growth slowing and business and consumer confidence improving, both consumer device demand and enterprise IT spending have shown signs of accelerating in recent months. We expect rising device demand and enterprise IT spending both domestically and internationally to drive cloud investment in 2025 and beyond.

The Vickers Top Buyers & Sellers is a daily report that identifies the five companies the largest insider purchase transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions as well as the five companies the largest insider sales transactions based on the dollar value of the transactions.

ServiceNow provides cloud-based software-as-a-service management applications to automate and track workflows across the enterprise, including IT, human resources, facilities, and field service, among others. The company markets to enterprises in industries ranging from financial services and consumer products to healthcare and technology. About 97% of revenue comes from subscription software sales, with the remainder from professional services. About 30% of the company's revenue is generated outside of the U.S. ServiceNow went public on June 29, 2012, at $18 per share. In June 2023, ServiceNow became part of the Fortune 500. The company has been a component of the S&P 500 since November 2019.

Monday Tee Up: Fed, Jobs, Earnings This week features more earnings from corporate giants, key jobs data, and a Fed rate meeting. It doesn't get much busier than that, especially for a week in the heat of summer. But spoiler alert on the Fed: no one thinks a rate move is coming this week and odds are at zero. Last week, the markets were again volatile. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 0.8%, the S&P 500 lost 0.8%, and the Nasdaq fell 2.1%. Year to date, the DJIA is higher by nearly 8%, the S&P is up 14%, and the Nasdaq is higher by 15%. On the economic calendar, the Federal Reserve rate decision comes on Wednesday and economists expect no movement. As usual, analysts will dissect what Chairman Powell says in the press conference. Odds are high for a rate cut in September, so Wall Street will be looking for verification that the Fed is leaning in that direction. On Friday, the important July jobs report is due. In June, Nonfarm Payrolls came in at 206,000. Argus sees that declining to 185,000 for July. The unemployment rate was 4.1% in June. We expect no change for July. Meanwhile, Job Openings, Consumer Confidence, and the Case-Shiller Home Price Index will be reported on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the ADP Private Employment report is due out, and on Thursday, ISM Manufacturing and Construction Spending hit the tape. On the earnings calendar, Monday brings news from McDonald's. On Tuesday, Microsoft, Advanced Micro Devices, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Merck, and Starbucks report; on Wednesday, Meta, Qualcomm, Boeing, Altria, and Kraft Heinz; on Thursday, Apple, Amazon, Moderna, Booking Holdings, and Coinbase; and on Friday, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. Earnings so far have been coming in 12.1% higher this quarter than a year ago, and 41% of S&P 500 companies have reported. Expectations are for earnings growth of 8%-12% for 2Q. This follows 8% growth in 1Q and 10% in 4Q23. At Argus, we expect EPS for all of 2024 to come in roughly 8%-9% better than last year. Last week featured good news on inflation and economic growth. The Personal Consumption Expenditures Index showed that inflation slowed to 2.5% in June versus 2.6% in May. Core PCE didn't budge, sticking at 2.6%. The initial reading for second-quarter GDP came in at 2.8%, a big jump from 1.4% in 1Q. Mortgage rates ticked up a hair to 6.78% for the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. Gas prices fell 3 cents to $3.47 per gallon for the average price of regular gas. The Atlanta Fed GDPNow indicator is forecasting for 3Q and calls for expansion of 2.8%. The Cleveland Fed CPINow indicator forecasts 3.01% for CPI in July. After this week's Fed rate decision, the next one is in mid-September -- and odds at 99% for a cut at that meeting. Of that, 88% expect a 25-basis-point (BPS) cut, while 11% expect a 50 bps cut. As the probability is so high for a rate cut at the September meeting, odds are at 68% for a second cut in November, but a higher 98% for that second cut to take place on December 18. All of this data is according to the CME FedWatch Tool.