Wednesday’s big stock stories: What’s likely to move the market in the next trading session

The postelection rally took a breather on Tuesday, with the major indexes incurring modest losses. Here’s what CNBC is watching going into Wednesday.

These 3 companies are keeping the lights on for AI’s energy demand — and cashing in May 2, 2026
The headlines focus on apps, but the big money is flowing to agentic AI’s boring industrial backbone.
Charlie Garcia
‘Why do Americans think we can do socialism?’ asks hedge-fund manager Ken Griffin May 2, 2026
The hedge-fund manager’s recent comments came after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, singled out Griffin’s ownership of a $238 million penthouse.
Charles Passy
No kids, no care: Solo agers are hiring professional ‘next-of-kin’ for major life decisions May 2, 2026
They have financial security and a retirement map — but lack someone authorized to advocate for them.
David Conti
The next recession could actually be a win for stocks — if you can tune out the market noise May 2, 2026
Corporate profit margins and P/E multiples — not GDP forecasts — are the real tools to surviving a bear market.
Mark Hulbert
Become a ‘lazy’ millionaire: This one habit can add a 20% bonus to your retirement May 2, 2026
The S&P 500 just banked its best month since 2020 — but to keep those gains, stop celebrating and focus long-term.
Mark Hulbert
Google is now a glorified venture-capital fund thanks to its SpaceX and Anthropic stakes May 2, 2026
Google’s early investments in SpaceX and Anthropic look like some of the “most successful venture bets any public company has ever made,” one expert says.
Britney Nguyen
How this Japanese toilet maker became an unlikely AI winner May 2, 2026
Toto is “aiming to achieve a toilet that never needs cleaning.” It’s also supplying electrostatic chucks — a semiconductor-manufacturing component critical to the memory-chip boom.
Hannah Pedone
EV drivers are taking a victory lap — right past the gas stations selling $4-a-gallon fuel May 2, 2026
Electric-vehicle drivers are taking a victory lap as the war in Iran has slowed global oil supplies and pushed up the cost of gasoline.
Genna Contino
Meet the unsinkable U.S. economy — oil prices are surging, Iran tensions are rising, but it won’t crack May 2, 2026
High tariffs, stubborn inflation, government shutdowns, war with Iran, rising oil prices — nothing in the turbulent past year has poked a hole in a seemingly unsinkable U.S. economy.
Jeffry Bartash
America’s biggest oil companies are making less money than before the Iran war May 2, 2026
Even once the Strait of Hormuz reopens, it will take months for oil and gas flows to get back to normal, Exxon and Chevron warn.
Claudia Assis