AFK vs. IBIC
AFK (VanEck Vectors Africa Index ETF) and IBIC (iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AFK is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones Africa Titans 50 Index, while IBIC is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the ICE 2026 Maturity US Inflation-Linked Treasury Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, AFK returned 38.88% vs 4.38% for IBIC. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. AFK charges 0.78%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for IBIC.
Performance
AFK vs. IBIC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AFK achieves a 0.15% return, which is significantly lower than IBIC's 2.39% return.
AFK
- 1D
- 0.86%
- 1M
- -0.37%
- YTD
- 0.15%
- 6M
- 1.17%
- 1Y
- 38.88%
- 3Y*
- 23.55%
- 5Y*
- 6.45%
- 10Y*
- 5.95%
IBIC
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- 0.08%
- YTD
- 2.39%
- 6M
- 2.49%
- 1Y
- 4.38%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
AFK vs. IBIC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AFK VanEck Vectors Africa Index ETF | 0.15% | 74.71% | 12.10% | -3.98% |
IBIC iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF | 2.39% | 4.96% | 5.25% | 2.17% |
Correlation
The correlation between AFK and IBIC is -0.22, 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 | -0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 15, 2023 | 0.04 |
The correlation between AFK and IBIC shifts across timeframes, from -0.22 (1 year) to 0.04 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
AFK vs. IBIC — Risk / Return Rank
AFK
IBIC
AFK vs. IBIC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Africa Index ETF (AFK) and iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF (IBIC). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AFK | IBIC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -3.48 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -6.97 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 2.21 | -0.95 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.00 | 16.41 | -14.41 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.54 | 58.11 | -52.57 |
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Drawdowns
AFK vs. IBIC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AFK drawdown since its inception was -62.46%, which is greater than IBIC's maximum drawdown of -0.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AFK and IBIC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AFK | IBIC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.46% | -0.90% | -61.56% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.54% | -0.27% | -19.27% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.54% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -37.62% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -53.33% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -12.34% | -0.11% | -12.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -31.98% | -0.10% | -31.88% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.03% | 0.08% | +6.95% |
Volatility
AFK vs. IBIC - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Vectors Africa Index ETF (AFK) has a higher volatility of 9.17% compared to iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF (IBIC) at 0.16%. This indicates that AFK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IBIC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AFK | IBIC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.17% | 0.16% | +9.01% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.65% | 0.67% | +22.98% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.83% | 0.89% | +25.94% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.36% | 1.57% | +20.79% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.20% | 1.57% | +20.63% |
AFK vs. IBIC - Expense Ratio Comparison
AFK has a 0.78% expense ratio, which is higher than IBIC's 0.10% expense ratio.
Dividends
AFK vs. IBIC - Dividend Comparison
AFK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.01%, less than IBIC's 3.59% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AFK VanEck Vectors Africa Index ETF | 1.01% | 1.02% | 0.00% | 2.27% | 3.59% | 4.17% | 3.91% | 6.34% | 1.71% | 1.99% | 2.67% | 2.16% |
IBIC iShares iBonds Oct 2026 Term TIPS ETF | 3.59% | 4.43% | 4.65% | 0.83% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
AFK and IBIC have a correlation of -0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AFK has higher volatility (9.17%) compared to IBIC (0.16%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AFK dropped -62.46% vs IBIC's -0.90%.
On 1-year performance, AFK leads with 38.88% vs 4.38% for IBIC. On fees, IBIC is cheaper at 0.10% per year. On volatility, IBIC has been the lower-risk option at 0.16%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, AFK has performed better with a 38.88% return vs 4.38%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IBIC is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.78% for AFK.
IBIC has the higher dividend yield at 3.59%, compared with 1.01% for AFK.
AFK is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while IBIC is Inflation-Protected Bonds. AFK tracks Dow Jones Africa Titans 50 Index, while IBIC tracks ICE 2026 Maturity US Inflation-Linked Treasury Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.78% for AFK and 0.10% for IBIC.
IBIC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.94 vs 1.46), 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.
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