April’s brutal dump within the inventory market and issues concerning the Trump administration’s tariff policies have led to an erosion of investor belief within the capital markets, in line with Investopedia’s latest survey of its readers. Regardless of this, the survey additionally confirmed that almost all of buyers are persevering with to carry their positions. 

The survey, fielded from April 12 to April 15, 2025, revealed 73% of respondents say they’re at the least “considerably apprehensive” concerning the latest dump, whereas 44% reported being «extraordinarily apprehensive”. 

Investor nervousness about recent market volatility is at its highest ranges since 2021. In reality, greater than half of particular person buyers reported they belief the inventory market much less underneath this administration, on account of tariff coverage uncertainty and a swift correction throughout capital markets.

Buyers Are Fearful About Inflation, U.S. China Relations, Recession

Inflation tops the checklist of Investopedia’s readers’ worries, tied to their issues concerning the impacts of world tariffs levied by the White Home, and new tariffs on semiconductors and copper set to take impact within the coming months. U.S. relations with China are additionally a high concern given the latest escalations of tariffs between the 2 international locations. Respondents are equally involved {that a} commerce battle will result in a recession, and probably a worldwide monetary disaster and bear market.

Retail Buyers Are Scared, However Not Promoting

Whereas Investopedia’s readers could be the most apprehensive they’ve been in 4 years, most say they’re not making main modifications to their allocation amid the volatility. Solely 17% say they moved cash out of the inventory market, and into money, money market funds and CDs. 

Greater than half, or 58%, say they took benefit of the downturn, with 32% indicating that they used dollar-cost averaging out there or into particular shares. Solely 6% say they’re shorting the inventory market to attempt to reap the benefits of potential additional declines.

Buyers Are Nonetheless Hopeful About Their Favourite Shares

Roughly 30% of buyers didn’t quit hope on their favourite shares, regardless of lots of them, together with Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN),  Nvidia (NVDA), Tesla (TSLA), and Palantir (PLTR), tumbling deep into bear market territory. Information from VandaTrack confirmed report dip-buying flows from retail buyers the week following April 2nd— what the White Home known as, «Liberation Day»—together with $3 billion in web purchases on April 3, the most important day by day whole since VandaTrack started accumulating this information in 2014.

Analysis from Financial institution of America additionally confirmed that its shoppers have been web patrons of $8 billion value of inventory throughout the week of the preliminary tariff bulletins. That was the fourth-largest weekly influx in Financial institution of America’s information since 2008, amid the Nice Monetary Disaster.

Readers Nonetheless Favor U.S. Shares as Most secure Guess

Regardless of their waning belief within the capital markets underneath this administration, Investopedia’s readers nonetheless favor U.S. shares because the most secure place to take a position their cash over the subsequent 5 years. Given their expertise with different intervals of volatility and financial coverage turmoil, many could consider that the inventory market and the businesses inside it can finally regulate to those new insurance policies, and resume their skill to develop earnings and reward shareholders.

1 in 4 Readers Say We’re Coming into or Already in a Recession

The rising drumbeat round a doable recession has additionally gotten louder over the previous a number of weeks with outstanding CEOs like Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase (JPM), and Larry Fink of Blackrock (BLK), warning of a extreme financial downturn.

A rising variety of our readers agree, with one in 4 indicating that we’re getting into, or are already in, a recession. Practically 40% say we’re prone to enter a recession within the subsequent three to 6 months. Nonetheless, solely time will inform whether or not or not these buyers’ predictions are true.