AAXJ vs. EWS
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF (AAXJ) and iShares MSCI Singapore ETF (EWS).
AAXJ and EWS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. AAXJ is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index. It was launched on Aug 13, 2008. EWS is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Singapore Index. It was launched on Mar 12, 1996. Both AAXJ and EWS are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
AAXJ vs. EWS - Performance Comparison
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AAXJ vs. EWS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAXJ iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF | 3.21% | 31.53% | 10.41% | 4.79% | -20.35% | -5.73% | 23.35% | 17.93% | -15.04% | 41.76% |
EWS iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 2.84% | 31.35% | 22.10% | 6.15% | -9.80% | 5.47% | -8.47% | 14.54% | -11.34% | 34.78% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AAXJ achieves a 3.21% return, which is significantly higher than EWS's 2.84% return. Over the past 10 years, AAXJ has outperformed EWS with an annualized return of 7.92%, while EWS has yielded a comparatively lower 7.24% annualized return.
AAXJ
- 1D
- -1.11%
- 1M
- -4.48%
- YTD
- 3.21%
- 6M
- 4.54%
- 1Y
- 34.63%
- 3Y*
- 14.32%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 7.92%
EWS
- 1D
- -0.67%
- 1M
- 1.87%
- YTD
- 2.84%
- 6M
- -0.32%
- 1Y
- 26.18%
- 3Y*
- 18.09%
- 5Y*
- 8.61%
- 10Y*
- 7.24%
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AAXJ vs. EWS - Expense Ratio Comparison
AAXJ has a 0.68% expense ratio, which is higher than EWS's 0.50% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
AAXJ vs. EWS — Risk / Return Rank
AAXJ
EWS
AAXJ vs. EWS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF (AAXJ) and iShares MSCI Singapore ETF (EWS). 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.
| AAXJ | EWS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.53 | 1.16 | +0.36 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.12 | 1.75 | +0.37 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.26 | +0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.33 | 1.52 | +0.80 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.63 | 6.54 | +2.09 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| AAXJ | EWS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.53 | 1.16 | +0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 | 0.50 | -0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 | 0.40 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.23 | 0.14 | +0.09 |
Correlation
The correlation between AAXJ and EWS is 0.77, 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.
Dividends
AAXJ vs. EWS - Dividend Comparison
AAXJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.75%, less than EWS's 3.98% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AAXJ iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF | 1.75% | 1.81% | 1.86% | 1.95% | 1.74% | 2.21% | 1.06% | 1.83% | 2.10% | 1.99% | 1.77% | 2.44% |
EWS iShares MSCI Singapore ETF | 3.98% | 4.10% | 4.28% | 6.50% | 2.56% | 6.00% | 2.68% | 4.70% | 4.21% | 3.46% | 3.96% | 4.20% |
Drawdowns
AAXJ vs. EWS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AAXJ drawdown since its inception was -49.37%, smaller than the maximum EWS drawdown of -75.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AAXJ and EWS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AAXJ | EWS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -49.37% | -75.00% | +25.63% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.66% | -7.82% | -5.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -41.04% | -29.06% | -11.98% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.52% | -40.84% | -3.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.76% | -3.87% | -6.89% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.14% | -21.99% | +7.85% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.69% | 3.64% | +0.05% |
Volatility
AAXJ vs. EWS - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex-Japan ETF (AAXJ) has a higher volatility of 9.09% compared to iShares MSCI Singapore ETF (EWS) at 6.61%. This indicates that AAXJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EWS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AAXJ | EWS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.09% | 6.61% | +2.48% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.07% | 11.35% | +3.72% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.75% | 20.05% | +0.70% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.42% | 17.24% | +2.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.00% | 18.03% | +1.97% |