The 10 Most Volatile Stocks to Add To Your Watchlist for February 2025
Key takeaways
High risk, high reward – Volatile stocks can offer massive upside potential, but their price swings can be extreme, making them better suited for risk-tolerant investors.
Sector-driven turbulence – Many of these stocks are highly sensitive to external factors like commodity prices, consumer trends, and regulatory changes, meaning their volatility often follows industry-wide trends rather than company-specific issues.
Timing is everything – In highly volatile sectors, entry and exit points can make or break an investment, so understanding macroeconomic conditions, earnings trends, and sentiment shifts is crucial.
3 stocks I like better than the ones on this list.The stock market is often thought of as a rollercoaster. However, depending on what you are investing in, that rollercoaster could be boring or have you retching in the trash can after you get off.That is because stocks, depending on their market capitalization, earnings, news releases, or reputation, can have high volatility, which can cause alarming price movements.
And even in the midst of the pandemic, we saw reliable, income-paying restaurant stocks collapse in price due to lockdowns materially impacting their business. When we seek out the most volatile stocks, we often do so intending to trade these stocks.
That’s because nobody wants to trade a stock that moves a percent or two per day. If you’re a trader, you want to be trading stocks with large swings in share price, so we can take advantage of those price swings on either the long or short end.
How can we measure stock market volatility?
Beta is a suitable way to measure the volatility of Canadian stocks. When we speak on a stock’s beta, we compare how much that stock will move relative to its benchmark index. For example, a company within the S&P 500 with a beta of “1.5” suggests that for every 1% move in the S&P 500, we can expect the stock to move 1.5%.
If a company has a beta of 0.5, we can expect for every 1% move in the index, it will only move 0.5%.The lower the beta, the lower the overall volatility of the stock itself. Higher-volatility stocks are often correlated with a high beta. You will often see low-beta stocks in the utility and industrial sectors. In contrast, high beta stocks often reside in healthcare stocks, or the technology, mining industries.
Typically, the S&P 500 is used as a benchmark for most U.S. stocks’ beta calculations. However, sites can use a different benchmark if they wish. For Canada, the Toronto Stock Exchange is often used.
Is there an index we can use for volatility?
The VIX index is excellent for judging the relative volatility of the markets. The VIX’s goal is to produce a measure of the constant, 30-day expected volatility of the U.S. stock markets. Many people swing trading stocks or day trading stocks will take advantage of and attempt to profit off short-term fluctuations in the price of the VIX.
Considerations when investing in the most volatile stocks
Traders often seek out high-volatility stocks to try and turn out significant gains. However, what many get tunnel vision with is the gains aspect of volatile stocks. They tend to forget about the losses, which can be severe and dramatic, and show up quick in stocks with high price volatility.
If your portfolio is made up exclusively of high-volatility stocks, you are likely putting yourself at extensive risk. Figure out if trading is suitable for you. Suppose you want to give it a shot. In that case, I’d suggest setting aside a tiny portion of your portfolio, one you’d be comfortable losing, to start trading.
It’s important to remember that you have less than a 10% chance of breaking even or making money when it comes to day trading. If you buy and sell these high-volatility stocks, know there is a good chance it will be an unprofitable endeavour. With that said, let’s look at some of the most volatile stocks to be trading right now.
Some parameters of this list of high-volatility stocks before we begin
We’ve screened the S&P 500 and around 400 stocks in Canada and have sorted them by their most recent beta. So, this list will not contain highly volatile penny stocks or stocks not listed on major exchanges. Make no mistake about it, however, even some of the stocks listed below on the major exchanges have significant amounts of volatility. This list was last fully updated on December 5th, 2022.
Gold and silver mining company with high-risk assets
McEwen Mining (TSE:MUX)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
McEwen Mining is a precious metals miner with operations in North and South America. The company is known for its aggressive expansion efforts, speculative exploration projects, and exposure to fluctuating gold and silver prices, all of which contribute to its extreme stock volatility.
P/E: 3.8
5 Yr Revenue Growth: 5.3%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: -%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: -100%
Yield: -%
Oil and gas producer with U.S. and Canadian assets
Ovintiv (TSE:OVV)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
Ovintiv is a North American oil and gas producer with operations in the U.S. and Canada. Formerly known as Encana, it rebranded to emphasize its shift to U.S.-based production. The company focuses on shale drilling and is highly exposed to swings in oil and gas prices.
P/E: 5.9
5 Yr Revenue Growth: 12.9%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: 7.2%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: 30.8%
Yield: 2.7%
Canadian natural gas producer
Paramount Resources (TSE:POU)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
Paramount Resources is a mid-sized energy company focused on natural gas and liquids-rich production in Western Canada. It is highly sensitive to commodity prices and drilling success, making it one of the most volatile energy plays on the TSX.
P/E: 12.0
5 Yr Revenue Growth: 16.3%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: -%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: -%
Yield: 5.9%
International oil & gas exploration company
APA Corp (APA)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
APA Corp is a global oil and gas exploration company with operations in the U.S., Egypt, and the North Sea. Known for its aggressive drilling strategy and high exposure to commodity prices, the stock is highly reactive to oil market swings. APA has also made significant bets on offshore projects, which add another layer of risk and volatility.
P/E: 3.3
5 Yr Revenue Growth: 1.4%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: 142.6%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: -%
Yield: 4.3%
Canadian oil producer focused on dividends
Cardinal Energy (TSE: C.J.)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
Cardinal Energy is a small-cap Canadian oil producer known for its high dividend yield and conservative management. However, its reliance on oil prices and a concentrated asset base make it a highly volatile stock.
P/E: 10.2
5 Yr Revenue Growth: 9.1%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: 4.6%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: 12.8%
Yield: 11.0%
Canada’s largest movie theater chain
Cineplex (TSE:CGX)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
Cineplex is the dominant player in the Canadian movie theater industry. While it has diversified into gaming and entertainment, its core business remains highly dependent on box office performance, making it a volatile stock tied to consumer trends.
P/E: –
5 Yr Revenue Growth: -2.9%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: 11.7%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: -100.0%
Yield: -%
Private jet manufacturer
Bombardier (TSE:BBD.B)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
Bombardier has shifted its focus exclusively to business jets after exiting the commercial aviation and rail sectors. While this has improved profitability, the company remains highly volatile due to its reliance on luxury jet demand and debt levels.
P/E: 15.2
5 Yr Revenue Growth: -12.4%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: 14.4%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: -%
Yield: -%
Canadian cannabis producer
Aurora Cannabis (TSE:ACB)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
Aurora Cannabis is one of Canada’s largest cannabis companies, but it has struggled with profitability due to oversupply and regulatory challenges. It remains a high-risk, high-volatility stock.
P/E: –
5 Yr Revenue Growth: 1.9%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: -%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: -%
Yield: -%
Oil & gas producer with U.S. focus
Enerplus Corp (TSE:ERF)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
Enerplus is a mid-cap energy company focused on U.S. shale production. Its stock is highly volatile due to exposure to crude oil and natural gas price swings.
P/E: –
5 Yr Revenue Growth: -%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: -%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: -%
Yield: -%
Major casino and hospitality operator
Caesars Entertainment (CZR)
![](https://www.stocktrades.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/cropped-Stocktrades-Just-Text-Black.png)
Caesars Entertainment is one of the largest casino and resort operators in the U.S., with properties in Las Vegas and other major gambling hubs. The stock is highly volatile due to its exposure to discretionary consumer spending, debt levels, and the unpredictable nature of gaming revenue.
P/E: –
5 Yr Revenue Growth: 41.2%
5 Yr Earnings Growth: 24.4%
5 Yr Dividend Growth: -%
Yield: -%
What is the most volatile stock in 2022?
McEwen Mining (TSE:MUX). Out of the 500 stocks on the S&P 500 and the 400+ Canadian stocks we have inside our stock screener, McEwen Mining, which has a beta of over 5.18, was the most volatile stock in 2022.A beta of 5.18 suggests that when the TSX Index moved 1%, McEwan moved more than 5 times that.
How do I find the most volatile stock?
You can utilize most stock screeners to identify the most volatile stocks. There are a variety of ways to define volatility. Most use beta, but other investors will look up stocks making the most significant moves over a week, two-week, or even a month-long timespan to take advantage of short-term volatility.
Over the short term, a stock with a low beta could be more volatile than usual because of a poor earnings report, a news release, or even a potential management change. So, short-term price movements in this regard are great screens.
Which type of stocks are most volatile?
You will typically see high volatility in the energy, mining, pharmaceutical stocks, and technology sectors. There are plenty of volatile stocks in other sectors, but these tend to have the highest betas.
Which investments are most volatile?
Investments in companies with small market capitalizations, low volumes, and overall low share floats tend to be the most volatile. Wide swings in stock price can happen based on just a few transactions if there is not a high volume of trade.
You will typically see this in the mining sector, particularly companies that are pre-revenue and just exploring. Single news headlines can send these stocks up by triple digits. Another highly volatile investment would be penny stocks, for most of the reasons stated above. The high volatility of these stocks and sectors makes them extremely popular for day traders.
Which sector is least volatile?
If you’re looking for lower volatility stocks, you’ll likely want to look to sectors that provide stable cash flows and contain larger blue-chip companies. The consumer staple, utility, and healthcare sectors often offer this.