CEF vs. IXUS
CEF (Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust) and IXUS (iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF) are both funds - CEF is a Gold fund actively managed by Sprott, while IXUS is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI ACWI ex USA IMI Index (Net). CEF is actively managed, while IXUS is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, CEF returned 12.56%/yr vs 10.23%/yr for IXUS. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. CEF charges 0.48%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IXUS.
Performance
CEF vs. IXUS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, CEF achieves a -4.91% return, which is significantly lower than IXUS's 13.86% return. Over the past 10 years, CEF has outperformed IXUS with an annualized return of 12.56%, while IXUS has yielded a comparatively lower 10.23% annualized return.
CEF
- 1D
- 0.62%
- 1M
- -9.04%
- YTD
- -4.91%
- 6M
- 0.53%
- 1Y
- 40.89%
- 3Y*
- 33.17%
- 5Y*
- 16.96%
- 10Y*
- 12.56%
IXUS
- 1D
- 0.43%
- 1M
- 3.19%
- YTD
- 13.86%
- 6M
- 15.66%
- 1Y
- 30.13%
- 3Y*
- 18.44%
- 5Y*
- 8.24%
- 10Y*
- 10.23%
CEF vs. IXUS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CEF Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust | -4.91% | 92.76% | 24.07% | 6.80% | 1.07% | -8.32% | 31.99% | 16.91% | -6.34% | 18.78% |
IXUS iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF | 13.86% | 32.40% | 5.19% | 15.83% | -16.47% | 8.86% | 10.80% | 21.71% | -14.41% | 28.12% |
Correlation
The correlation between CEF and IXUS is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 24, 2012 | 0.24 |
Over the past year, CEF and IXUS have become more correlated (0.45) than their long-term average of 0.24, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
CEF vs. IXUS — Risk / Return Rank
CEF
IXUS
CEF vs. IXUS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust (CEF) and iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS). 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.
| CEF | IXUS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.67 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.97 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.33 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.41 | 2.51 | -1.11 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.72 | 9.67 | -5.96 |
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Drawdowns
CEF vs. IXUS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum CEF drawdown since its inception was -62.29%, which is greater than IXUS's maximum drawdown of -36.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CEF and IXUS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| CEF | IXUS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.29% | -36.22% | -26.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -30.01% | -11.36% | -18.65% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -30.01% | -13.75% | -16.26% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.01% | -30.03% | +0.02% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.01% | -36.22% | +6.21% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -26.45% | -1.57% | -24.88% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.33% | -7.49% | -19.84% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.35% | 2.95% | +8.40% |
Volatility
CEF vs. IXUS - Volatility Comparison
Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust (CEF) has a higher volatility of 11.51% compared to iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF (IXUS) at 6.88%. This indicates that CEF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IXUS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| CEF | IXUS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.51% | 6.88% | +4.63% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 36.13% | 14.23% | +21.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 38.81% | 16.29% | +22.52% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.54% | 16.38% | +8.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.96% | 17.12% | +4.84% |
CEF vs. IXUS - Expense Ratio Comparison
CEF has a 0.48% expense ratio, which is higher than IXUS's 0.07% expense ratio.
Dividends
CEF vs. IXUS - Dividend Comparison
CEF has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IXUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CEF Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.08% | 0.07% | 0.09% | 0.10% |
IXUS iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock ETF | 2.84% | 3.24% | 3.33% | 3.13% | 2.48% | 3.12% | 1.85% | 3.09% | 3.00% | 2.41% | 2.58% | 2.81% |
Frequently Asked Questions
CEF and IXUS have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CEF has higher volatility (11.51%) compared to IXUS (6.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CEF dropped -62.29% vs IXUS's -36.22%.
IXUS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs 1.09), 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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