ANEFX vs. VFIAX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

ANEFX (American Funds The New Economy Fund Class A) and VFIAX (Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - ANEFX is a Global Equities fund actively managed by American Funds, while VFIAX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. ANEFX is actively managed, while VFIAX is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ANEFX returned 15.58%/yr vs 14.96%/yr for VFIAX. Their correlation of 0.91 means they have usually moved in the same direction. ANEFX charges 0.72%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VFIAX.

Performance

ANEFX vs. VFIAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Funds The New Economy Fund Class A (ANEFX) and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ANEFX achieves a 14.11% return, which is significantly higher than VFIAX's 9.33% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with ANEFX having a 15.58% annualized return and VFIAX not far behind at 14.96%.

ANEFX

• 1D: 3.59%
• 1M: -4.66%
• 6M: 10.11%
• YTD: 14.11%
• 1Y: 35.83%
• 3Y*: 24.98%
• 5Y*: 11.75%
• 10Y*: 15.58%
• ALL TIME*: 13.36%

VFIAX

• 1D: 1.66%
• 1M: -0.56%
• 6M: 7.77%
• YTD: 9.33%
• 1Y: 20.60%
• 3Y*: 19.00%
• 5Y*: 12.65%
• 10Y*: 14.96%
• ALL TIME*: 8.81%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
ANEFX American Funds The New Economy Fund Class A	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

ANEFX vs. VFIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ANEFX American Funds The New Economy Fund Class A	14.11%	31.01%	23.58%	29.14%	-29.67%	12.85%	33.47%	26.46%	-4.36%	34.37%
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares	9.33%	17.83%	24.97%	26.24%	-18.16%	28.65%	18.32%	31.46%	-4.45%	21.78%

Correlation

The correlation between ANEFX and VFIAX is 0.87, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.90
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.92
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 13, 2000	0.91

The correlation between ANEFX and VFIAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

ANEFX vs. VFIAX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

ANEFX

ANEFX Risk / Return Rank: 72
ANEFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
ANEFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
ANEFX Omega Ratio Rank: 66
ANEFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
ANEFX Martin Ratio Rank: 78

VFIAX

VFIAX Risk / Return Rank: 63
VFIAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
VFIAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
VFIAX Omega Ratio Rank: 58
VFIAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
VFIAX Martin Ratio Rank: 76

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

ANEFX vs. VFIAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds The New Economy Fund Class A (ANEFX) and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX). 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.

	ANEFX	VFIAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.63	1.43	+0.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.18	1.99	+0.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.28	1.26	+0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.49	2.06	+0.43
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.23	8.84	+0.39

ANEFX vs. VFIAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ANEFX Sharpe Ratio is 1.63, which is comparable to the VFIAX Sharpe Ratio of 1.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ANEFX and VFIAX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

ANEFX vs. VFIAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ANEFX drawdown since its inception was -61.28%, which is greater than VFIAX's maximum drawdown of -55.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ANEFX and VFIAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	ANEFX	VFIAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-61.28%	-55.20%	-6.08%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.35%	-8.90%	-4.45%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.82%	-18.75%	-2.07%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.63%	-24.53%	-12.10%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.63%	-33.83%	-2.80%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.98%	-2.11%	-5.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.41%	-9.35%	-2.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.59%	2.07%	+1.52%

Volatility

ANEFX vs. VFIAX - Volatility Comparison

American Funds The New Economy Fund Class A (ANEFX) has a higher volatility of 7.56% compared to Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) at 3.44%. This indicates that ANEFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFIAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ANEFX	VFIAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.56%	3.44%	+4.12%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.18%	10.09%	+7.09%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.42%	12.86%	+7.56%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.01%	17.01%	+3.00%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.33%	18.07%	+1.26%

ANEFX vs. VFIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

ANEFX has a 0.72% expense ratio, which is higher than VFIAX's 0.04% expense ratio.

Dividends

ANEFX vs. VFIAX - Dividend Comparison

ANEFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.70%, more than VFIAX's 1.07% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ANEFX American Funds The New Economy Fund Class A	8.70%	9.93%	9.59%	3.96%	0.00%	8.24%	2.47%	7.34%	10.00%	8.28%	4.61%	6.16%
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares	1.07%	1.12%	1.24%	1.45%	1.68%	1.24%	1.53%	1.87%	2.05%	1.78%	2.02%	2.10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ANEFX and VFIAX in my portfolio?

ANEFX and VFIAX have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ANEFX or VFIAX?

ANEFX has higher volatility (7.56%) compared to VFIAX (3.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ANEFX dropped -61.28% vs VFIAX's -55.20%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ANEFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.62 vs 1.43), 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.