^NBI vs. NLR

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

^NBI (NASDAQ Biotechnology Index) is an index, while NLR (VanEck Vectors Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF) is Alternative Energy Equities fund tracking the DAXglobal Nuclear Energy Index. Over the past 10 years, ^NBI returned 7.02%/yr vs 13.66%/yr for NLR. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

^NBI vs. NLR - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (^NBI) and VanEck Vectors Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF (NLR). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ^NBI achieves a 1.75% return, which is significantly lower than NLR's 6.14% return. Over the past 10 years, ^NBI has underperformed NLR with an annualized return of 7.02%, while NLR has yielded a comparatively higher 13.66% annualized return.

^NBI

• 1D: 1.87%
• 1M: -1.57%
• YTD: 1.75%
• 6M: 0.74%
• 1Y: 38.72%
• 3Y*: 11.81%
• 5Y*: 3.87%
• 10Y*: 7.02%

NLR

• 1D: -4.59%
• 1M: -8.11%
• YTD: 6.14%
• 6M: 1.51%
• 1Y: 36.84%
• 3Y*: 35.11%
• 5Y*: 21.94%
• 10Y*: 13.66%

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

^NBI vs. NLR - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
^NBI NASDAQ Biotechnology Index	1.75%	32.40%	-1.37%	3.74%	-10.91%	-0.63%	25.69%	24.41%	-9.32%	21.06%
NLR VanEck Vectors Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF	6.14%	56.50%	14.26%	36.67%	2.29%	13.63%	3.49%	0.20%	4.94%	8.25%

Correlation

The correlation between ^NBI and NLR is 0.30, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.30
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.33
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.35
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 16, 2007	0.41

The correlation between ^NBI and NLR shifts across timeframes, from 0.30 (1 year) to 0.41 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

^NBI vs. NLR — Risk / Return Rank

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

^NBI

^NBI Risk / Return Rank: 77
^NBI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
^NBI Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
^NBI Omega Ratio Rank: 65
^NBI Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
^NBI Martin Ratio Rank: 89

NLR

NLR Risk / Return Rank: 25
NLR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
NLR Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
NLR Omega Ratio Rank: 24
NLR Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
NLR Martin Ratio Rank: 22

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.

^NBI vs. NLR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (^NBI) and VanEck Vectors Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF (NLR). 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.

	^NBI	NLR	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.96	0.88	+1.09
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.77	1.43	+1.34
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.17	+0.16
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.60	1.43	+3.17
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.12	2.93	+12.19
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

^NBI vs. NLR - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ^NBI Sharpe Ratio is 1.96, which is higher than the NLR Sharpe Ratio of 0.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ^NBI and NLR, 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

	^NBI	NLR	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.96	0.88	+1.09
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.18	0.75	-0.58
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.30	0.57	-0.27
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.39	0.18	+0.22

Drawdowns

^NBI vs. NLR - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ^NBI drawdown since its inception was -74.70%, which is greater than NLR's maximum drawdown of -65.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ^NBI and NLR.

Drawdown Indicators

	^NBI	NLR	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-74.70%	-65.05%	-9.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.45%	-25.80%	+17.35%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-24.08%	-30.48%	+6.40%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-38.50%	-30.48%	-8.02%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.50%	-34.35%	-4.15%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.29%	-19.80%	+14.51%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-26.60%	-35.72%	+9.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.57%	12.61%	-10.04%

Volatility

^NBI vs. NLR - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (^NBI) is 7.01%, while VanEck Vectors Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF (NLR) has a volatility of 13.18%. This indicates that ^NBI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NLR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	^NBI	NLR	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.01%	13.18%	-6.17%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.31%	32.83%	-17.52%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.86%	42.32%	-22.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.00%	29.24%	-7.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.43%	24.02%	-0.59%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ^NBI and NLR in my portfolio?

^NBI and NLR have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ^NBI or NLR?

NLR has higher volatility (13.18%) compared to ^NBI (7.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ^NBI dropped -74.70% vs NLR's -65.05%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

^NBI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.96 vs 0.88), 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.