A 2025 CIBC Investor’s Edge poll found 69% of Canadians feel anxious about market swings, and 34% say anxiety is the emotion they most associate with investing.
That unease is strongest among women and younger investors: 77% of women and 79% of Gen Z reported anxiety, versus 60% of men and 64% of boomers.
The poll suggests emotion is shaping behavior, with 69% saying personality affects how they invest; among Gen Z and millennials, 45% said they rely more on instinct than data when buying or selling.
Confidence also lags among younger adults, with 55% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 saying they feel confident investing, compared with 64% of those over 55.
The stakes can be costly: separate MarketWise survey data cited in the report showed retail investors who made an emotional trading decision lost an average of US$1,606.