The Canadian Index

All content, including the full-resolution download, is provided at no charge.

Homepage Archive Legal
Line chart comparing University of Michigan consumer sentiment with the S&P/TSX Composite over 13 months to September 2026.

Consumer sentiment and the Canadian equity index have moved in opposite directions in most months of the past year. Behavioural research on the availability heuristic describes why: recent, vivid news such as fuel prices and Middle East headlines outweighs slow, cumulative portfolio gains. The gap measures how people feel about conditions, not how their accounts performed, so investors can be anxious during a strong year.

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.

Download Hi-Res JPEG (No Watermark)

Related charts

Line chart showing the VIX volatility index holding a narrow range through late August 2026 despite trade war headlines.

The VIX has held a narrow range for most of August even as Ottawa confirmed C$27.6 billion in retaliatory tariffs and Washington unveiled a sweeping new Iran sanctions campaign.

The VIX Has Not Moved in Three Weeks. That Is Not the Same as Markets Judging the Trade War Small.

August 26, 2026

View chart & download
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

View chart & download
Line chart of the S&P/TSX Composite and Cboe VIX from September 9 to October 8, 2026, with a line at the August 25 close.

The volatility index has stayed inside a narrow band despite a Federal Reserve rate increase on September 16, which suggests markets are calm.

S&P/TSX Composite Against the Cboe VIX, September 9 to October 8

October 9, 2026

View chart & download
Line chart of the VIX daily close from September 2 to October 1, 2026, with an October average reference line.

The VIX sits well below its 25-year October average, which includes crisis years such as 2008, so the equity market looks calm going into a month with a reputation for volatility.

Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) and the October Average, September 2 to October 1, 2026

October 2, 2026

View chart & download
Bar chart of the TSX Composite's daily percentage swings from August 10 to September 4, 2026, showing an unusually volatile six-session stretch.

The TSX has broken its own recent volatility average in five of the last six sessions, a stretch triggered by Washington's tariffs on…

Why This Week Feels Worse Than the TSX Actually Performed

September 8, 2026

View chart & download
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

View chart & download
Legal Archive Homepage

Charts and data on this site are provided for general informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Each chart reflects the source and period indicated on it and may not represent current market conditions.

Charts may be downloaded and shared freely for professional or educational use, including in client presentations, reports, and publications, with no attribution or permission request required. Charts may not be altered, edited, or cropped: each is a specific, time-stamped dataset, and an altered copy no longer accurately represents that record.

© 2026 The Canadian Index. A public reference library of Canadian financial market charts, updated daily from public market data. See the Legal and Usage Terms page for full disclaimers.