^TNX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

^TNX (Treasury Yield 10 Years) is an index, while SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) is S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, ^TNX returned 10.14%/yr vs 15.57%/yr for SPY. At a 0.17 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

^TNX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Treasury Yield 10 Years (^TNX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ^TNX achieves a 7.49% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 11.69% return. Over the past 10 years, ^TNX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 10.14%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.57% annualized return.

^TNX

• 1D: 0.49%
• 1M: 2.22%
• YTD: 7.49%
• 6M: 9.52%
• 1Y: 0.29%
• 3Y*: 6.63%
• 5Y*: 22.98%
• 10Y*: 10.14%

SPY

• 1D: 0.14%
• 1M: 5.40%
• YTD: 11.69%
• 6M: 12.09%
• 1Y: 29.62%
• 3Y*: 22.64%
• 5Y*: 14.20%
• 10Y*: 15.57%

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

^TNX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
^TNX Treasury Yield 10 Years	7.49%	-8.97%	18.29%	-0.34%	156.55%	64.89%	-52.21%	-28.56%	11.68%	-1.68%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	11.69%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between ^TNX and SPY is -0.20, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.14
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.05
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.12
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 3, 1993	0.17

The correlation between ^TNX and SPY shifts across timeframes, from -0.20 (1 year) to 0.17 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

^TNX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

^TNX

^TNX Risk / Return Rank: 12
^TNX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
^TNX Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
^TNX Omega Ratio Rank: 12
^TNX Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
^TNX Martin Ratio Rank: 12

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 75
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 76
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 80

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.

^TNX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Treasury Yield 10 Years (^TNX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.

	^TNX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.09	2.52	-2.43
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.23	3.42	-3.18
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.03	1.46	-0.43
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.09	3.42	-3.32
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.17	15.93	-15.76
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

^TNX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ^TNX Sharpe Ratio is 0.09, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ^TNX and SPY, 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

	^TNX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.09	2.52	-2.43
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71	0.84	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.21	0.87	-0.66
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.02	0.59	-0.61

Drawdowns

^TNX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ^TNX drawdown since its inception was -93.78%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ^TNX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	^TNX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-93.78%	-55.19%	-38.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.35%	-8.88%	-3.47%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.41%	-18.76%	-8.65%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.41%	-24.50%	-2.91%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-84.57%	-33.72%	-50.85%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-44.22%	0.00%	-44.22%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-51.35%	-9.05%	-42.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.96%	1.91%	+5.05%

Volatility

^TNX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Treasury Yield 10 Years (^TNX) has a higher volatility of 5.23% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.75%. This indicates that ^TNX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	^TNX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.23%	2.75%	+2.48%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.75%	8.89%	+1.86%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.54%	11.81%	+3.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	32.50%	17.05%	+15.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	48.04%	17.94%	+30.10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ^TNX and SPY in my portfolio?

^TNX and SPY have a correlation of -0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ^TNX or SPY?

^TNX has higher volatility (5.23%) compared to SPY (2.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ^TNX dropped -93.78% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 0.09), 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.