Investor confidence said to be at record high despite​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ turmoil

The Investor Index 2026, the annual study of investor behaviour from AML Group and The Nursery Research & Planning, found the UK Investor Index has climbed to 115, up significantly from 103 in 2025 and well above the pre-pandemic benchmark of 100. The Index is a composite measure of investor confidence, sense of control and how informed investors feel about their financial decisions.

Investor confidence is said to be strong

The findings suggest a significant shift in investor behaviour and mindset has taken place over the past 12 months. Rather than waiting for conditions to improve, UK investors increasingly appear to be adapting to uncertainty and continuing to invest through it.

“What's particularly interesting is how normalised uncertainty appears to have become for investors,” said Nicola Wright, Insights Director at The Nursery Research & Planning.

“Confidence is no longer closely tied to calm market conditions. Investors seem increasingly comfortable making decisions in a world where disruption and volatility are seen as part of the backdrop rather than temporary events.”

Around 70 per cent of UK investors are now said to believe long-term investing is more important than ever, with half increasing the amount they invested over the past year and a further 40 per cent maintained their existing level of investment.

This growing conviction is reflected across investor groups. Confidence has risen across every age group over 35, narrowing the gap with younger investors, who continue to rank among the most confident groups overall. The strongest gains were recorded among wealthier investors, particularly those with more than £250,000 invested.

For the first time, the Investor Index also expanded internationally to Germany and Italy. German investor confidence marginally exceeded the UK at 116 while Italian investor confidence lagged significantly behind at 75. UK investors were notably more likely than their German and Italian counterparts to believe markets will recover and that current conditions present opportunities.

Nicola Davies, Strategy Director at AML Group, said: "What this year's findings show is that the appetite is there across the board. Investors are more resilient than anyone anticipated, advisers are confident about where the profession is heading, and the people who haven't yet started investing are closer to that first step than they might think. For firms, that's invaluable. The better we understand how each of these audiences thinks and behaves, the better placed we are to serve them."