BEMB vs. USO
BEMB (Ishares J.P. Morgan Broad USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF) and USO (United States Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - BEMB is a Emerging Markets Bonds fund actively managed by iShares, while USO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Light Sweet Crude Oil. BEMB is actively managed, while USO is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, BEMB returned 8.77%/yr vs 28.78%/yr for USO. At a correlation of -0.13, they often move in opposite directions. BEMB charges 0.18%/yr vs 0.86%/yr for USO.
Performance
BEMB vs. USO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BEMB achieves a 1.45% return, which is significantly lower than USO's 97.72% return.
BEMB
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- 0.78%
- YTD
- 1.45%
- 6M
- 1.90%
- 1Y
- 9.57%
- 3Y*
- 8.77%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
USO
- 1D
- -2.92%
- 1M
- -5.15%
- YTD
- 97.72%
- 6M
- 91.54%
- 1Y
- 97.20%
- 3Y*
- 28.78%
- 5Y*
- 23.67%
- 10Y*
- 3.57%
BEMB vs. USO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BEMB Ishares J.P. Morgan Broad USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF | 1.45% | 12.27% | 5.51% | 8.88% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 97.72% | -8.46% | 13.35% | -0.67% |
Correlation
The correlation between BEMB and USO is -0.43, 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 | -0.43 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.16 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 27, 2023 | -0.13 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between BEMB and USO has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.13 to -0.43, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
BEMB vs. USO — Risk / Return Rank
BEMB
USO
BEMB vs. USO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ishares J.P. Morgan Broad USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (BEMB) and United States Oil Fund LP (USO). 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.
| BEMB | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 1.37 | +0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.62 | 4.79 | -2.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.29 | 9.00 | +2.30 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| BEMB | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.26 | 2.21 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.66 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.09 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.46 | -0.18 | +1.64 |
Drawdowns
BEMB vs. USO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BEMB drawdown since its inception was -6.17%, smaller than the maximum USO drawdown of -98.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BEMB and USO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BEMB | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.17% | -98.19% | +92.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.67% | -20.39% | +16.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.17% | -26.05% | +19.88% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -36.23% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -86.75% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.16% | -85.45% | +85.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.94% | -75.30% | +74.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.85% | 10.84% | -9.99% |
Volatility
BEMB vs. USO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Ishares J.P. Morgan Broad USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (BEMB) is 1.46%, while United States Oil Fund LP (USO) has a volatility of 14.97%. This indicates that BEMB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than USO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BEMB | USO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.46% | 14.97% | -13.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.46% | 38.35% | -34.89% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.26% | 44.32% | -40.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.88% | 36.09% | -30.21% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.88% | 39.00% | -33.12% |
BEMB vs. USO - Expense Ratio Comparison
BEMB has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is lower than USO's 0.86% expense ratio.
Dividends
BEMB vs. USO - Dividend Comparison
BEMB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.87%, while USO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BEMB Ishares J.P. Morgan Broad USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF | 6.87% | 6.88% | 6.31% | 5.46% |
USO United States Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BEMB and USO have a correlation of -0.43, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
USO has higher volatility (14.97%) compared to BEMB (1.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BEMB dropped -6.17% vs USO's -98.19%.
On 3-year performance, USO leads with 28.78% vs 8.77% for BEMB. On fees, BEMB is cheaper at 0.18% per year. On volatility, BEMB has been the lower-risk option at 1.46%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, USO has performed better with a 28.78% return vs 8.77%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BEMB is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.86% for USO.
BEMB has the higher dividend yield at 6.87%, compared with 0.00% for USO.
BEMB is categorized as Emerging Markets Bonds, while USO is Oil & Gas. They also come from different issuers: iShares and USCF. Their fees differ too: 0.18% for BEMB and 0.86% for USO.
BEMB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.26 vs 2.21), 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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