BCAT vs. FTGC

Last updated Jul 15, 2026

BCAT (BlackRock Capital Allocation Term Trust) is a stock, while FTGC (First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund) is Commodities fund actively managed by First Trust. Over the past 5 years, BCAT returned 7.33%/yr vs 13.11%/yr for FTGC. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BCAT vs. FTGC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock Capital Allocation Term Trust (BCAT) and First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with BCAT having a 25.07% return and FTGC slightly higher at 25.81%.

BCAT

• 1D: 0.06%
• 1M: 1.19%
• 6M: 20.89%
• YTD: 25.07%
• 1Y: 29.68%
• 3Y*: 21.44%
• 5Y*: 7.33%
• 10Y*: —

FTGC

• 1D: 1.13%
• 1M: 3.25%
• 6M: 21.22%
• YTD: 25.81%
• 1Y: 35.01%
• 3Y*: 15.37%
• 5Y*: 13.11%
• 10Y*: 7.64%

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

BCAT vs. FTGC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
BCAT BlackRock Capital Allocation Term Trust	25.07%	16.78%	19.37%	19.30%	-22.64%	-5.21%	9.35%
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund	25.81%	14.61%	9.96%	-5.36%	17.36%	27.95%	14.72%

Correlation

The correlation between BCAT and FTGC is 0.04, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.04
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.09
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 25, 2020	0.14

Return for Risk

BCAT vs. FTGC — Risk / Return Rank

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

BCAT

BCAT Risk / Return Rank: 94
BCAT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
BCAT Sortino Ratio Rank: 95
BCAT Omega Ratio Rank: 93
BCAT Calmar Ratio Rank: 90
BCAT Martin Ratio Rank: 96

FTGC

FTGC Risk / Return Rank: 78
FTGC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
FTGC Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
FTGC Omega Ratio Rank: 84
FTGC Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
FTGC Martin Ratio Rank: 66

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.

BCAT vs. FTGC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Capital Allocation Term Trust (BCAT) and First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC). 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.

	BCAT	FTGC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.50	2.23	+0.27
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.55	2.97	+0.58
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	1.39	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.74	2.85	+0.89
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	17.37	9.53	+7.84

BCAT vs. FTGC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BCAT Sharpe Ratio is 2.50, which is comparable to the FTGC Sharpe Ratio of 2.23. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BCAT and FTGC, 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

BCAT vs. FTGC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BCAT drawdown since its inception was -36.13%, smaller than the maximum FTGC drawdown of -59.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BCAT and FTGC.

Drawdown Indicators

	BCAT	FTGC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.13%	-59.47%	+23.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.98%	-12.34%	+4.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.69%	-12.34%	-1.35%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.03%	-22.64%	-12.39%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.91%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.87%	-5.66%	+4.79%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.57%	-27.26%	+14.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.71%	3.68%	-1.97%

Volatility

BCAT vs. FTGC - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BlackRock Capital Allocation Term Trust (BCAT) is 3.83%, while First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) has a volatility of 4.35%. This indicates that BCAT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FTGC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BCAT	FTGC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.83%	4.35%	-0.52%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.56%	13.39%	-3.83%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.93%	15.77%	-3.84%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.24%	15.88%	-0.64%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.90%	14.72%	+1.18%

Dividends

BCAT vs. FTGC - Dividend Comparison

BCAT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 19.83%, more than FTGC's 15.40% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BCAT BlackRock Capital Allocation Term Trust	19.83%	23.45%	17.48%	10.08%	9.01%	6.42%	0.48%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund	15.40%	17.74%	3.05%	3.34%	10.35%	7.21%	0.00%	0.81%	0.80%	1.21%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BCAT and FTGC in my portfolio?

BCAT and FTGC have a correlation of 0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BCAT or FTGC?

FTGC has higher volatility (4.35%) compared to BCAT (3.83%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BCAT dropped -36.13% vs FTGC's -59.47%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BCAT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.50 vs 2.23), 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.