Three in 10 (30%) UK investors contributed more to their portfolios than they usually do in the first quarter of 2026, with half reporting positive returns, according to new Scottish Widows research.
A further 30% said they plan to increase the amount they invest in the next three months, despite the turbulent geopolitical environment.
The inaugural Scottish Widows Investment Pulse surveyed over 2,000 non-advised UK investors on their level of investment confidence, expectations for the future, motivations and investment plans.
It found that in the first three months of 2026, investors contributed an average of £2,413 to their portfolios, while 19% reduced their investments.
While a fifth (21%) said they made little or no changes to their portfolios in the first quarter, 15% chose to move some investments into cash, while 14% invested more in individual shares and 13% invested more in cryptocurrency.
One in 10 (11%) also chose to invest more in gold.
Investments are generally spread evenly across different holdings, with a preference for individual shares (19%) and UK-held investments (62%), the research showed.
Scottish Widows said personal circumstances had a greater impact on people’s shift in investments than economic or geopolitical factors. The cost of living/household expenses was the biggest factor influencing investment changes over the past three months (71%), followed by a change in personal financial circumstances (66%) and inflation (63%).
Looking ahead, investors plan to invest an average of £2,920 in the second quarter, with just 13% planning to reduce the amount they invest. More than four in 10 (44%) expect their investments to perform well in the next quarter, rising to 54% when asked about performance expectations over the next year.
Achieving longer-term goals such as growing wealth (43%) and boosting retirement savings (42%) are the main reasons people choose to invest, with other motivations including building an emergency fund (28%) and saving for a holiday (17%).
Manuel Pardavila-Gonzalez, managing director of investments at Scottish Widows, said: “Despite a volatile market, investors demonstrated confidence in the first quarter of 2026, increasing their investments even with geopolitical headwinds threatening international markets and potential returns.
“While uncertainty looks set to continue, more bullish investors are driven by their own financial motivations, not just global shocks, looking to increase the amount they invest to grow their wealth, support retirement savings or mitigate the cost of living.”
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