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Survey shows personality and emotion are shaping investing decisions, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials

TORONTO , Sept. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey commissioned by CIBC Investor's Edge finds a generational shift in investing behaviour: nearly half of Gen Z and Millennial investors (45 per cent) say they rely more on instinct than data and analysis when making investment decisions.

This generational shift underscores the powerful role emotions play in shaping Canadians' relationship with investing, and how those feelings impact confidence levels. While most Canadians (79 per cent) say they feel confident managing their money, far fewer (58 per cent) feel confident investing. Emotional factors help explain this gap: while markets have been on a strong upward trajectory, 69 per cent say they feel anxious about market fluctuations, and one in three (34 per cent) cite anxiety as the primary emotion they associate with investing.

"Increasingly, investors are going with their gut, but relying solely on intuition can be difficult to stomach in today's complex markets," said Luka Marjanovic, Managing Director and Head, CIBC Investor's Edge. "We help clients make informed decisions through our comprehensive research, market-leading analytical tools, and supportive webinars—so they can invest with confidence, not just instinct."

The survey also revealed differences across gender and generational lines:

• According to the data, Women and Gen Z are more likely to feel anxious about investing: 77 per cent of women and 79 per cent of Gen Z, compared to 60 per cent of men and 64 per cent of Baby Boomers.
• Men, meanwhile, are more likely to report emotions like confidence (26 per cent vs. 18 per cent of women), excitement (21 per cent vs. 14 per cent), and satisfaction (28 per cent vs. 21 per cent).

Personality Plays a Growing Role in Portfolios

The survey also reveals that for many Canadians, investing reflects who they are as much as what they know. Seven in ten Canadians (69 per cent) say their personality plays a role in how they invest—but the influence is especially strong among younger generations, with 75 per cent of Gen Z and 76 per cent of Millennials reporting this.

Yet this self-awareness does not always translate into confidence: just 55 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 34 feel confident investing, compared to 64 per cent of those over 55.

"Younger investors are bringing their values, intuition, and emotions into investing more than ever," said Liz Enriquez, financial educator and founder of Ambitious Adulting, a personal finance mentoring website for Millennials. "The challenge is turning that self-awareness into confidence. Platforms like CIBC Investor's Edge can help bridge that gap by acknowledging the emotional side of money and making investing feel more approachable."

From Hesitant to Confident: Tips for Every Investor

Despite anxiety and uncertainty, Canadians are optimistic: nearly one-third (31 per cent) say they feel hopeful about investing, suggesting that with the right support, confidence is within reach.

Here are four tips for building confidence and making personality work for you:

• Know your style: Take time to understand whether you're more of a bold or cautious investor. This self-awareness can help shape your strategy—bold investors might pursue high-growth opportunities, while cautious investors may prefer thorough research and steady performers.
• Start small and build experience: Test your investment ideas by starting with smaller investments—like $50 or $100 monthly over six months. This approach lets you gain practical experience and confidence without putting too much on the line.
• Power up your platform: Look for a platform that's simple to use, clear on fees and supports your level of experience.
• Learn as you go: Seek educational materials, trusted resources, and expert insights to develop your own investing style. Continuous learning will help you make more informed decisions and adapt your style throughout your investing journey.

To learn more visit www.investorsedge.cibc.com

About the Study

These findings are from an Ipsos poll conducted between July 24 and July 25, 2025, on behalf of CIBC. For this survey, a sample of 1,001 Canadians aged 18 years and over was interviewed. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ±3.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadian adults been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

About CIBC Investor's Edge

CIBC Investor's Edge is a leader in self-directed investing. Investor's Edge provides an intuitive mobile trading platform, easy to use tools, extensive research, and a growing library of educational materials to help investors chart their own course. Backed by one of Canada's largest banks and the forerunner in Canadian equity trading with CIBC Capital Markets, Investor's Edge helps clients bring their ambitions to life.

SOURCE CIBC