Although they seem to be growing more comfortable with market conditions, U.S. investors are more inclined to give up performance for downside protection than last year, according to a new survey.

About 57 percent of surveyed investors said they were willing to give up potential gains for a product that protects a portion of their retirement savings, up from 48 percent in a similar survey conducted in 2015, according to the Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, which conducted the survey.

The same survey had 35 percent of investors saying they are comfortable with current market conditions, up from 26 percent in 2015. Yet 37 percent of investors also said that recent market volatility has made them anxious about their nest eggs.

“Volatility matters, and while we see some increasing comfort with volatility, it is driving a simmering anxiety in many Americans,” Paul Kelash, vice president of Consumer Insights for Allianz Life, said in a prepared statement. “This anxiety about the negative effects volatility can have on their retirement savings is very real and people are still searching for the right solutions.”

The report was based on an online survey in April of about 1,000 U.S. investors, about half of whom had investable assets of $200,000 or more, according to Allianz.

The survey indicated that there is underlying anxiety in the minds of U.S. investors, with 42 percent fearing a big market crash and 44 percent concerned about the possibility of a major recession, Allianz said.

Wealthier investors expressed a desire for balance. Seventy-eight percent of respondents with more than $200,000 in investable assets said it is important to them to have some of their savings in a financial product that protects it from market loss, compared with 69 percent of those with less than $200,000. Sixty-eight percent of wealthy investors said they are willing to give up some potential gains for a product that protects a portion of their retirement savings, compared to 55 percent of those with less assets.

“As market volatility becomes a more constant part of our financial landscape, Americans are recognizing the value of options that provide both opportunity and a level of protection,” said Kelash. “Because we can’t be certain when the next major downturn will occur, it’s important that people have the ability to grow their retirement savings while still safeguarding their financial future.”