^AXAF vs. VOO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

^AXAF (S&P/ASX All Australian 50 Index) is an index, while VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, ^AXAF returned 4.86%/yr vs 15.95%/yr for VOO. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

^AXAF vs. VOO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a A$10,000 investment in S&P/ASX All Australian 50 Index (^AXAF) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

^AXAF is traded in AUD, while VOO is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the VOO values have been converted to AUD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ^AXAF achieves a 1.70% return, which is significantly lower than VOO's 3.82% return. Over the past 10 years, ^AXAF has underperformed VOO with an annualized return of 4.86%, while VOO has yielded a comparatively higher 15.95% annualized return.

^AXAF

• 1D: -1.24%
• 1M: -0.13%
• YTD: 1.70%
• 6M: 3.32%
• 1Y: 2.03%
• 3Y*: 6.29%
• 5Y*: 3.63%
• 10Y*: 4.86%

VOO

• 1D: -0.24%
• 1M: 5.60%
• YTD: 3.82%
• 6M: 2.72%
• 1Y: 16.13%
• 3Y*: 19.37%
• 5Y*: 15.79%
• 10Y*: 15.95%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

^AXAF vs. VOO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
^AXAF S&P/ASX All Australian 50 Index	1.70%	3.37%	7.32%	9.08%	-2.79%	12.67%	-4.45%	19.01%	-5.61%	4.42%
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF	3.82%	9.27%	37.55%	26.42%	-12.77%	36.35%	7.93%	31.98%	5.74%	12.50%

Correlation

The correlation between ^AXAF and VOO is -0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.03
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.01
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.06
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 10, 2010	0.05

The correlation between ^AXAF and VOO shifts across timeframes, from -0.05 (1 year) to 0.06 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

^AXAF vs. VOO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

^AXAF

^AXAF Risk / Return Rank: 16
^AXAF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 16
^AXAF Sortino Ratio Rank: 15
^AXAF Omega Ratio Rank: 15
^AXAF Calmar Ratio Rank: 17
^AXAF Martin Ratio Rank: 17

VOO

VOO Risk / Return Rank: 70
VOO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
VOO Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
VOO Omega Ratio Rank: 70
VOO Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
VOO Martin Ratio Rank: 75

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

^AXAF vs. VOO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for S&P/ASX All Australian 50 Index (^AXAF) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	^AXAF	VOO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.10	1.62	-1.52
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.22	2.25	-2.03
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.03	1.30	-0.27
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.14	1.43	-1.30
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.30	4.05	-3.75
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

^AXAF vs. VOO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ^AXAF Sharpe Ratio is 0.10, which is lower than the VOO Sharpe Ratio of 1.62. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ^AXAF and VOO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	^AXAF	VOO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.10	1.62	-1.52
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.29	1.09	-0.81
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.33	0.98	-0.66
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.10	1.11	-1.01

Drawdowns

^AXAF vs. VOO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ^AXAF drawdown since its inception was -51.77%, which is greater than VOO's maximum drawdown of -24.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ^AXAF and VOO.

Drawdown Indicators

	^AXAF	VOO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.77%	-24.78%	-26.99%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.21%	-11.29%	+3.08%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.96%	-17.50%	+3.54%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.52%	-21.45%	+6.93%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.42%	-24.78%	-10.64%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.68%	-0.24%	-4.44%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-16.44%	-3.73%	-12.71%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.86%	3.99%	-0.13%

Volatility

^AXAF vs. VOO - Volatility Comparison

S&P/ASX All Australian 50 Index (^AXAF) has a higher volatility of 4.29% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) at 1.94%. This indicates that ^AXAF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VOO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	^AXAF	VOO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.29%	1.94%	+2.35%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.26%	7.52%	+1.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.70%	10.07%	+1.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.50%	14.51%	-2.01%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.78%	16.29%	-1.51%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ^AXAF and VOO in my portfolio?

^AXAF and VOO have a correlation of -0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ^AXAF or VOO?

^AXAF has higher volatility (4.29%) compared to VOO (1.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ^AXAF dropped -51.77% vs VOO's -24.78%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VOO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.62 vs 0.10), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.