^DJUS vs. ^GSPC

Last updated Apr 3, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Dow Jones U.S. Index (^DJUS) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC).

Performance

^DJUS vs. ^GSPC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Dow Jones U.S. Index (^DJUS) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

^DJUS vs. ^GSPC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
^DJUS Dow Jones U.S. Index	-3.66%	15.89%	22.77%	24.51%	-20.68%	24.80%	18.31%	28.62%	-6.76%	19.16%
^GSPC S&P 500 Index	-3.84%	16.39%	23.31%	24.23%	-19.44%	26.89%	16.26%	28.88%	-6.24%	19.42%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with ^DJUS having a -3.66% return and ^GSPC slightly lower at -3.84%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with ^DJUS having a 12.04% annualized return and ^GSPC not far ahead at 12.29%.

^DJUS

• 1D: 0.13%
• 1M: -3.37%
• YTD: -3.66%
• 6M: -2.12%
• 1Y: 16.03%
• 3Y*: 16.72%
• 5Y*: 9.56%
• 10Y*: 12.04%

^GSPC

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: -3.43%
• YTD: -3.84%
• 6M: -1.98%
• 1Y: 16.08%
• 3Y*: 16.86%
• 5Y*: 10.37%
• 10Y*: 12.29%

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

Return for Risk

^DJUS vs. ^GSPC — Risk / Return Rank

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

^DJUS

^DJUS Risk / Return Rank: 57
^DJUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
^DJUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
^DJUS Omega Ratio Rank: 59
^DJUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
^DJUS Martin Ratio Rank: 69

^GSPC

^GSPC Risk / Return Rank: 58
^GSPC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
^GSPC Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
^GSPC Omega Ratio Rank: 59
^GSPC Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
^GSPC Martin Ratio Rank: 71

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.

^DJUS vs. ^GSPC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Dow Jones U.S. Index (^DJUS) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). 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.

	^DJUS	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.87	0.88	-0.01
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.35	1.37	-0.02
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.20	1.21	0.00
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.37	1.39	-0.02
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.35	6.43	-0.09
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

^DJUS vs. ^GSPC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ^DJUS Sharpe Ratio is 0.87, which is comparable to the ^GSPC Sharpe Ratio of 0.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ^DJUS and ^GSPC, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	^DJUS	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.87	0.88	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56	0.62	-0.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.60	0.68	-0.08
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	0.46	-0.15

Correlation

The correlation between ^DJUS and ^GSPC is 0.99, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Drawdowns

^DJUS vs. ^GSPC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ^DJUS drawdown since its inception was -56.62%, roughly equal to the maximum ^GSPC drawdown of -56.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ^DJUS and ^GSPC.

Drawdown Indicators

	^DJUS	^GSPC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-56.62%	-56.78%	+0.16%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.09%	-9.10%	+0.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.24%	-25.43%	-0.81%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-45.22%	-33.92%	-11.30%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.62%	-5.67%	+0.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.42%	-10.75%	-2.67%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.66%	2.62%	+0.04%

Volatility

^DJUS vs. ^GSPC - Volatility Comparison

Dow Jones U.S. Index (^DJUS) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC) have volatilities of 5.36% and 5.29%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	^DJUS	^GSPC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.36%	5.29%	+0.07%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.72%	9.55%	+0.17%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.58%	18.33%	+0.25%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.27%	16.90%	+0.37%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.98%	18.04%	+1.94%