^SPXEW vs. ^XSP

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

^SPXEW (S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index) and ^XSP (S&P 500 Mini-SPX Options Index) are both indexes. Over the past 5 years, ^SPXEW returned 6.68%/yr vs 12.66%/yr for ^XSP. Their correlation of 0.87 suggests significant overlap in exposure.

Performance

^SPXEW vs. ^XSP - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index (^SPXEW) and S&P 500 Mini-SPX Options Index (^XSP). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ^SPXEW achieves a 9.36% return, which is significantly lower than ^XSP's 11.16% return.

^SPXEW

• 1D: 0.34%
• 1M: 3.36%
• YTD: 9.36%
• 6M: 10.47%
• 1Y: 18.88%
• 3Y*: 13.39%
• 5Y*: 6.68%
• 10Y*: 9.98%

^XSP

• 1D: 0.13%
• 1M: 5.25%
• YTD: 11.16%
• 6M: 11.43%
• 1Y: 28.20%
• 3Y*: 21.12%
• 5Y*: 12.66%
• 10Y*: —

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

^SPXEW vs. ^XSP - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
^SPXEW S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index	9.36%	9.34%	10.90%	11.56%	-13.11%	18.80%
^XSP S&P 500 Mini-SPX Options Index	11.16%	16.39%	23.31%	24.23%	-19.44%	22.15%

Correlation

The correlation between ^SPXEW and ^XSP is 0.75, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.75
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.80
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.88
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 2, 2021	0.87

The correlation between ^SPXEW and ^XSP shifts across timeframes, from 0.75 (1 year) to 0.88 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

^SPXEW vs. ^XSP — Risk / Return Rank

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

^SPXEW

^SPXEW Risk / Return Rank: 57
^SPXEW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
^SPXEW Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
^SPXEW Omega Ratio Rank: 56
^SPXEW Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
^SPXEW Martin Ratio Rank: 59

^XSP

^XSP Risk / Return Rank: 79
^XSP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
^XSP Sortino Ratio Rank: 76
^XSP Omega Ratio Rank: 78
^XSP Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
^XSP Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

^SPXEW vs. ^XSP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index (^SPXEW) and S&P 500 Mini-SPX Options Index (^XSP). 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.

	^SPXEW	^XSP	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.63	2.39	-0.76
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.38	3.25	-0.88
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.43	-0.15
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.35	3.16	-0.81
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.83	14.61	-5.78
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

^SPXEW vs. ^XSP - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ^SPXEW Sharpe Ratio is 1.63, which is lower than the ^XSP Sharpe Ratio of 2.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ^SPXEW and ^XSP, 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

	^SPXEW	^XSP	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.63	2.39	-0.76
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.41	0.75	-0.34
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.54	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.49	0.81	-0.32

Drawdowns

^SPXEW vs. ^XSP - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ^SPXEW drawdown since its inception was -60.83%, which is greater than ^XSP's maximum drawdown of -25.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ^SPXEW and ^XSP.

Drawdown Indicators

	^SPXEW	^XSP	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.83%	-25.43%	-35.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.03%	-9.10%	+1.07%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.31%	-18.90%	+0.59%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.47%	-25.43%	+2.96%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-39.21%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.02%	-5.87%	-1.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.14%	1.97%	+0.17%

Volatility

^SPXEW vs. ^XSP - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for S&P 500 Equal Weighted Index (^SPXEW) is 2.66%, while S&P 500 Mini-SPX Options Index (^XSP) has a volatility of 2.83%. This indicates that ^SPXEW experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ^XSP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	^SPXEW	^XSP	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.66%	2.83%	-0.17%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.37%	8.98%	-0.61%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.62%	11.87%	-0.25%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.24%	16.90%	-0.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.43%	16.75%	+1.68%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ^SPXEW and ^XSP in my portfolio?

^SPXEW and ^XSP have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ^SPXEW or ^XSP?

^XSP has higher volatility (2.83%) compared to ^SPXEW (2.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ^SPXEW dropped -60.83% vs ^XSP's -25.43%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

^XSP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.39 vs 1.63), 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.