ACWI vs. ^GSPC

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI ACWI ETF (ACWI) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC).

ACWI is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI All Country World Index. It was launched on Mar 26, 2008.

Performance

ACWI vs. ^GSPC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares MSCI ACWI ETF (ACWI) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

ACWI vs. ^GSPC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ACWI iShares MSCI ACWI ETF	-1.29%	22.41%	17.45%	22.27%	-18.39%	18.66%	16.34%	26.59%	-9.19%	24.33%
^GSPC S&P 500 Index	-3.95%	16.39%	23.31%	24.23%	-19.44%	26.89%	16.26%	28.88%	-6.24%	19.42%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ACWI achieves a -1.29% return, which is significantly higher than ^GSPC's -3.95% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with ACWI having a 11.68% annualized return and ^GSPC not far ahead at 12.24%.

ACWI

• 1D: 0.94%
• 1M: -4.69%
• YTD: -1.29%
• 6M: 1.41%
• 1Y: 21.56%
• 3Y*: 17.35%
• 5Y*: 9.60%
• 10Y*: 11.68%

^GSPC

• 1D: 0.72%
• 1M: -4.45%
• YTD: -3.95%
• 6M: -2.02%
• 1Y: 16.73%
• 3Y*: 16.96%
• 5Y*: 10.34%
• 10Y*: 12.24%

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

Return for Risk

ACWI vs. ^GSPC — Risk / Return Rank

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

ACWI

ACWI Risk / Return Rank: 72
ACWI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
ACWI Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
ACWI Omega Ratio Rank: 72
ACWI Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
ACWI Martin Ratio Rank: 77

^GSPC

^GSPC Risk / Return Rank: 67
^GSPC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
^GSPC Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
^GSPC Omega Ratio Rank: 69
^GSPC Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
^GSPC Martin Ratio Rank: 77

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 vs. ^GSPC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI ACWI ETF (ACWI) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). 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	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.24	0.92	+0.32
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.82	1.41	+0.41
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	1.21	+0.06
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.87	1.41	+0.45
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.55	6.61	+1.94
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 vs. ^GSPC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ACWI Sharpe Ratio is 1.24, which is higher than the ^GSPC Sharpe Ratio of 0.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ACWI and ^GSPC, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ACWI	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.24	0.92	+0.32
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60	0.61	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.69	0.68	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.39	0.46	-0.07

Correlation

The correlation between ACWI and ^GSPC is 0.94, 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.

Drawdowns

ACWI vs. ^GSPC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ACWI drawdown since its inception was -56.00%, roughly equal to the maximum ^GSPC drawdown of -56.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ACWI and ^GSPC.

Drawdown Indicators

	ACWI	^GSPC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-56.00%	-56.78%	+0.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.76%	-12.14%	+0.38%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.42%	-25.43%	-0.99%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.53%	-33.92%	+0.39%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.04%	-5.78%	-0.26%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.68%	-10.75%	+2.07%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.57%	2.60%	-0.03%

Volatility

ACWI vs. ^GSPC - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI ACWI ETF (ACWI) has a higher volatility of 6.23% compared to S&P 500 Index (^GSPC) at 5.37%. This indicates that ACWI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ^GSPC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ACWI	^GSPC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.23%	5.37%	+0.86%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.08%	9.55%	+0.53%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.50%	18.33%	-0.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.96%	16.90%	-0.94%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.08%	18.05%	-0.97%