AI’s surge in demand for memory and storage drove some of 2025’s biggest stock market winners, including hard-drive makers Seagate Technology and Western Digital, and AI chip maker Micron Technology. Retail trading platform Robinhood also put up a blockbuster year and made its S&P 500 debut. And the bidding war by Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros. Discovery propelled the entertainment giant into a top market performer.

Not all companies fared as well, with those tied to health care and consumer brands flagging through last year. A major reset of expectations in October cratered Fiserv’s stock, putting the payment processing company near the bottom of the barrel.

What awaits in the year ahead? For our first episode of 2026, co-host Telis Demos along with WSJ Heard on the Street Editor Aaron Back and Heard Columnist David Wainer tackle audience questions about what to expect for the year and offer their own predictions for investors and the U.S. economy.

This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where we cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead.

Have an idea for a future guest or episode? How can we better help you take on the week? We’d love to hear from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com