ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ACWI.L (SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF) and ESIF.L (iShares MSCI Europe Financials Sector UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ACWI.L is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI ACWI NR USD, while ESIF.L is a Financials Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Financials NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, ACWI.L returned 12.53%/yr vs 19.43%/yr for ESIF.L. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. ACWI.L charges 0.40%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for ESIF.L.

Performance

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.L) and iShares MSCI Europe Financials Sector UCITS ETF (ESIF.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ACWI.L achieves a 11.87% return, which is significantly higher than ESIF.L's 2.28% return.

ACWI.L

• 1D: -0.37%
• 1M: 5.83%
• YTD: 11.87%
• 6M: 12.47%
• 1Y: 30.54%
• 3Y*: 18.34%
• 5Y*: 12.53%
• 10Y*: 13.66%

ESIF.L

• 1D: -1.75%
• 1M: 1.34%
• YTD: 2.28%
• 6M: 8.90%
• 1Y: 24.89%
• 3Y*: 28.53%
• 5Y*: 19.43%
• 10Y*: —

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

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
ACWI.L SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF	11.87%	14.32%	19.66%	15.59%	-8.59%	20.28%	3.02%
ESIF.L iShares MSCI Europe Financials Sector UCITS ETF	2.28%	54.55%	20.09%	18.81%	3.59%	20.48%	2.82%

Correlation

The correlation between ACWI.L and ESIF.L is 0.62, 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	0.62
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.56
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 24, 2020	0.59

The correlation between ACWI.L and ESIF.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.56 to 0.62 - a consistent structural relationship.

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	ACWI.L	ESIF.L
Technology	29.2%	1.0%
Financial Services	16.5%	96.9%
Industrials	10.9%	0.4%
Consumer Cyclical	9.3%	0.2%
Communication Services	9.0%	-
Healthcare	8.0%	-
Consumer Defensive	4.9%	-
Energy	4.3%	-
Basic Materials	3.6%	-
Utilities	2.7%	-
Real Estate	1.7%	-

Return for Risk

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

ACWI.L

ACWI.L Risk / Return Rank: 85
ACWI.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
ACWI.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
ACWI.L Omega Ratio Rank: 88
ACWI.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
ACWI.L Martin Ratio Rank: 84

ESIF.L

ESIF.L Risk / Return Rank: 41
ESIF.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
ESIF.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
ESIF.L Omega Ratio Rank: 39
ESIF.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
ESIF.L Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.L) and iShares MSCI Europe Financials Sector UCITS ETF (ESIF.L). 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.

	ACWI.L	ESIF.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.92	1.45	+1.47
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.02	2.07	+1.95
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.56	1.26	+0.30
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.31	2.12	+2.19
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	17.47	7.39	+10.08
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ACWI.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.92, which is higher than the ESIF.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ACWI.L and ESIF.L, 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

	ACWI.L	ESIF.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.92	1.45	+1.47
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.96	1.06	-0.10
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.95	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.81	1.16	-0.36

Drawdowns

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ACWI.L drawdown since its inception was -25.44%, which is greater than ESIF.L's maximum drawdown of -23.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ACWI.L and ESIF.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	ACWI.L	ESIF.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.44%	-23.55%	-1.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.05%	-11.68%	+4.63%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.07%	-14.26%	-3.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.07%	-23.55%	+5.48%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.44%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.37%	-2.65%	+2.28%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.67%	-4.12%	+0.45%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.74%	3.36%	-1.62%

Volatility

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.L) is 2.89%, while iShares MSCI Europe Financials Sector UCITS ETF (ESIF.L) has a volatility of 5.52%. This indicates that ACWI.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ESIF.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ACWI.L	ESIF.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.89%	5.52%	-2.63%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.76%	14.13%	-6.37%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.45%	17.09%	-6.64%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.05%	18.32%	-5.27%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.39%	18.22%	-3.83%

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

ACWI.L has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is higher than ESIF.L's 0.18% expense ratio.

Dividends

ACWI.L vs. ESIF.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither ACWI.L nor ESIF.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ACWI.L and ESIF.L in my portfolio?

ACWI.L and ESIF.L have a correlation of 0.62, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, ACWI.L or ESIF.L?

On fees, ESIF.L is cheaper at 0.18% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, ACWI.L or ESIF.L?

ESIF.L is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for ACWI.L.

What is the main difference between ACWI.L and ESIF.L?

ACWI.L is categorized as Global Equities, while ESIF.L is Financials Equities. ACWI.L tracks MSCI ACWI NR USD, while ESIF.L tracks MSCI World/Financials NR USD. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.40% for ACWI.L and 0.18% for ESIF.L.