Workday Surges 3.95% on AI Push and India Expansion as $870M Volume Ranks 117th in Liquidity

Workday (WDAY) surged 3.95% on August 13, 2025, with a trading volume of $870 million, ranking 117th among stocks by liquidity. The move followed CEO Carl Eschenbach’s recent emphasis on AI integration in enterprise workflows and the company’s strategic expansion in India. Recent data indicating 75% of employees are prepared to collaborate with AI agents has reinforced market confidence in Workday’s product roadmap, including its AI-powered HR platform Workday Wellness.

Investor optimism is further fueled by upcoming catalysts: fiscal Q2 earnings on August 21 and an Analyst Day event on September 16. These milestones have heightened speculative buying ahead of key disclosures. While broader software stocks showed mixed performance, Workday outpaced peers like Salesforce and ServiceNow, reflecting its differentiated focus on AI-driven enterprise solutions. Technical indicators suggest the stock is rebounding from oversold RSI levels, with the 200-day average at $249.20 acting as a critical resistance level.

Options activity highlights the market’s directional bets, with high-volume call and put options at the $220 strike price. The call option (WDAY20250822C220) offers 58.21% potential returns if the price breaks above $220, while the put option (WDAY20250822P220) provides 32.85% leverage for downside protection. High gamma values for both options indicate amplified sensitivity to price movements, aligning with increased volatility ahead of earnings.

Backtest analysis of WDAY’s performance after a 3% intraday surge shows positive momentum over short-to-medium terms. The 3-Day win rate stood at 47.87%, rising to 54.86% over 30 days, with a maximum gain of 3.32% recorded. The data suggests that holding the stock post-breakout could capture gains despite inherent volatility, particularly if key levels like $220 hold. Investors are advised to monitor earnings and Analyst Day for further directional clues before committing to aggressive positions.