BWX vs. IAGG
BWX (SPDR Bloomberg Barclays International Treasury Bond ETF) and IAGG (iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BWX is a International Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Treasury x US Capped (Inception 8/31/2007), while IAGG is a Global Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex USD 10% Issuer Capped (Hedged) Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, BWX returned -1.37%/yr vs 2.19%/yr for IAGG. A 0.50 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. BWX charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IAGG.
Performance
BWX vs. IAGG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BWX achieves a -2.67% return, which is significantly lower than IAGG's 1.48% return. Over the past 10 years, BWX has underperformed IAGG with an annualized return of -1.37%, while IAGG has yielded a comparatively higher 2.19% annualized return.
BWX
- 1D
- -0.46%
- 1M
- -0.76%
- YTD
- -2.67%
- 6M
- -2.20%
- 1Y
- -3.41%
- 3Y*
- 0.76%
- 5Y*
- -4.30%
- 10Y*
- -1.37%
IAGG
- 1D
- -0.16%
- 1M
- 0.82%
- YTD
- 1.48%
- 6M
- 1.62%
- 1Y
- 2.53%
- 3Y*
- 4.71%
- 5Y*
- 1.23%
- 10Y*
- 2.19%
BWX vs. IAGG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BWX SPDR Bloomberg Barclays International Treasury Bond ETF | -2.67% | 7.67% | -5.93% | 5.10% | -19.72% | -8.67% | 9.50% | 5.58% | -1.85% | 9.93% |
IAGG iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF | 1.48% | 3.26% | 4.51% | 8.49% | -10.86% | -1.87% | 4.63% | 7.99% | 3.38% | 2.09% |
Correlation
The correlation between BWX and IAGG is 0.72, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.66 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 12, 2015 | 0.50 |
Over the past year, BWX and IAGG have become more correlated (0.72) than their long-term average of 0.50, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
BWX vs. IAGG — Risk / Return Rank
BWX
IAGG
BWX vs. IAGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR Bloomberg Barclays International Treasury Bond ETF (BWX) and iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF (IAGG). 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.
| BWX | IAGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.93 | 1.16 | -0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.56 | 1.10 | -1.65 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.07 | 3.21 | -4.28 |
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Drawdowns
BWX vs. IAGG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BWX drawdown since its inception was -34.05%, which is greater than IAGG's maximum drawdown of -13.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BWX and IAGG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BWX | IAGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.05% | -13.88% | -20.17% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.16% | -2.32% | -3.84% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.22% | -2.32% | -7.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.78% | -13.57% | -17.21% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.05% | -13.88% | -20.17% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -24.57% | -0.43% | -24.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.08% | -2.84% | -7.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.20% | 0.79% | +2.41% |
Volatility
BWX vs. IAGG - Volatility Comparison
SPDR Bloomberg Barclays International Treasury Bond ETF (BWX) has a higher volatility of 2.09% compared to iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF (IAGG) at 0.74%. This indicates that BWX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BWX | IAGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.09% | 0.74% | +1.35% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.97% | 2.46% | +3.51% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.71% | 2.87% | +4.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 9.70% | 4.51% | +5.19% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 8.67% | 4.05% | +4.62% |
BWX vs. IAGG - Expense Ratio Comparison
BWX has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than IAGG's 0.07% expense ratio.
Dividends
BWX vs. IAGG - Dividend Comparison
BWX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.39%, less than IAGG's 3.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BWX SPDR Bloomberg Barclays International Treasury Bond ETF | 2.39% | 2.19% | 1.99% | 1.63% | 1.23% | 0.93% | 0.95% | 1.16% | 1.07% | 0.46% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IAGG iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.64% | 3.08% | 4.28% | 3.55% | 2.27% | 1.16% | 1.95% | 2.82% | 3.02% | 1.74% | 1.56% | 0.13% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BWX and IAGG have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BWX has higher volatility (2.09%) compared to IAGG (0.74%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BWX dropped -34.05% vs IAGG's -13.88%.
On 10-year performance, IAGG leads with 2.19% vs -1.37% for BWX. On fees, IAGG is cheaper at 0.07% per year. On volatility, IAGG has been the lower-risk option at 0.74%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IAGG has performed better with a 2.19% return vs -1.37%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAGG is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for BWX.
IAGG has the higher dividend yield at 3.64%, compared with 2.39% for BWX.
BWX is categorized as International Government Bonds, while IAGG is Global Bonds. BWX tracks Bloomberg Global Treasury x US Capped (Inception 8/31/2007), while IAGG tracks Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex USD 10% Issuer Capped (Hedged) Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for BWX and 0.07% for IAGG.
IAGG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.89 vs -0.45), 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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