Sharp swings in the stock market are hard on any investor, and they have a way of overriding even the soundest financial plan. When headlines turn scary, calm turns into panic, and “buy low, sell high” gets flipped on its head.
A survey by MarketWise found that retail investors who made an emotional trading decision lost an average of US$1,606 (C$2,237) — a costly reminder that fear and FOMO (fear of missing out) can derail even experienced investors. New Canadian polling suggests the problem is just as common north of the border, even with markets near record highs.
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Most Canadians say they feel anxious about investing
According to a 2025 poll commissioned by CIBC Investor’s Edge, 69% of Canadians say they feel anxious about market fluctuations, and one in three (34%) call anxiety the emotion they most associate with investing. That uneasiness persists even during a strong market run, which suggests rising portfolios don’t necessarily calm investors’ nerves.
Women and Gen Z feel it most: 77% of women and 79% of Gen Z say they’re anxious about investing, compared with 60% of men and 64% of boomers.
Investors are increasingly “going with their gut” in complex modern markets, said Luka Marjanovic, managing director and head of CIBC Investor’s Edge, adding that relying on instinct alone can make it difficult to invest with confidence.
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Why it’s so hard to spot your own FOMO — especially for younger Canadians
FOMO is easy to recognize in daily life, like scrolling past vacation photos from a trip you weren’t invited to. It’s much harder to catch in your own portfolio.
The CIBC poll also found that 69% of Canadians say their personality plays a role in how they invest, rising to 75% among Gen Z and 76% among millennials. Yet that self-awareness doesn’t always translate into confidence. Only 55% of Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 feel confident investing, compared with 64% of those over 55. Nearly half (45%) of Gen Z and millennial investors admit they rely more on instinct than data and analysis when deciding what to buy or sell.
