The Canadian Index

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Chart showing AAII investor sentiment survey results, with bearish and bullish readings both above their historical averages.

Both bearish and bullish sentiment now sit above their long run averages, an unusual split that Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman's availability heuristic helps explain. Vivid geopolitical headlines become the default explanation for market moves they did not actually cause. Tuesday's TSX decline, for instance, came from weakness in technology, telecommunications, and industrials, not oil, while crude and the Canadian dollar both strengthened the same session.

This chart is presented for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Figures reflect the source and period indicated and may no longer be current.

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Line chart comparing indexed gold and Brent crude prices as the two assets diverge then reverse in early August 2026.

Gold rose 7.2% last week to a record close near $4,400 while Brent crude fell 7.3% as traders bet a Hormuz shipping deal was close.

Gold's Record Week Made the Story Feel Settled. Monday Already Disagrees.

August 10, 2026

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Line chart of the Cboe VIX volatility index from late August to September 23, 2026, hovering in the mid-teens.

The VIX estimates how much the options market expects stocks to move over the next thirty days, so it can stay quiet while individual sessions are violent.

VIX Stays Subdued While the TSX Swings

September 24, 2026

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Line chart showing the VIX volatility index climbing for four straight weeks to 17.84 in September 2026.

The VIX has risen for four consecutive weeks as the Strait of Hormuz conflict drags on, even though shipping through the chokepoint has thinned sharply since the war began.

The VIX's Quiet Four-Week Climb Is a Textbook Case of Recency Bias in Reverse

September 11, 2026

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Line chart showing the VIX volatility index falling 11.2 percent even as retail investor bearishness stays elevated.

The VIX fell 11.2 per cent even as a widely followed retail sentiment survey held near 40 per cent bearish, a gap that has persisted for most of the past month.

Retail Investors Are More Afraid of the Hormuz War Than the Market Is

September 14, 2026

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Line chart showing the S&P/TSX Composite closing higher after a volatile week driven by war-related headlines.

Kahneman and Tversky's loss aversion research helps explain the sequence: losses recorded during a decline carry roughly twice the…

Why the TSX's Two-Day Rebound Is the Most Dangerous Data Point on the Chart

September 4, 2026

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Bar chart comparing panic-selling rates during market drops between millennials and boomers, based on 2026 retirement research.

Millennials pulled money out of investments during market drops at a 67% rate in Allianz Life's 2026 Annual Retirement Study, versus just 8% for boomers.

Why Millennials Panic-Sell Eight Times More Than Boomers

September 1, 2026

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