CESG.L vs. IQSA.L

Last updated Jul 16, 2026

CESG.L (First Trust Global Capital Strength ESG Leaders UCITS ETF Class A USD Acc) and IQSA.L (Invesco Global Active ESG Equity UCITS ETF USD Acc) are both exchange-traded funds - CESG.L is a ESG fund actively managed by First Trust, while IQSA.L is a Global Equities fund actively managed by Invesco. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, CESG.L returned 5.33%/yr vs 14.47%/yr for IQSA.L. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. CESG.L charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.30%/yr for IQSA.L.

Performance

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Global Capital Strength ESG Leaders UCITS ETF Class A USD Acc (CESG.L) and Invesco Global Active ESG Equity UCITS ETF USD Acc (IQSA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CESG.L achieves a 2.70% return, which is significantly lower than IQSA.L's 15.33% return.

CESG.L

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: 2.28%
• 6M: 2.77%
• YTD: 2.70%
• 1Y: 5.82%
• 3Y*: 9.53%
• 5Y*: 5.33%
• 10Y*: —

IQSA.L

• 1D: -0.67%
• 1M: -0.00%
• 6M: 13.70%
• YTD: 15.33%
• 1Y: 30.00%
• 3Y*: 22.95%
• 5Y*: 14.47%
• 10Y*: —

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

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
CESG.L First Trust Global Capital Strength ESG Leaders UCITS ETF Class A USD Acc	2.70%	11.47%	9.71%	12.32%	-13.97%	23.33%
IQSA.L Invesco Global Active ESG Equity UCITS ETF USD Acc	15.33%	22.67%	22.82%	24.38%	-14.00%	18.44%

Correlation

The correlation between CESG.L and IQSA.L is 0.47, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.47
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.63
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.74
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 9, 2021	0.74

Over the past year, the correlation between CESG.L and IQSA.L has dropped to 0.47 - well below their long-term average of 0.74, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

CESG.L

CESG.L Risk / Return Rank: 17
CESG.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
CESG.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 17
CESG.L Omega Ratio Rank: 17
CESG.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 17
CESG.L Martin Ratio Rank: 18

IQSA.L

IQSA.L Risk / Return Rank: 86
IQSA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
IQSA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
IQSA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 84
IQSA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
IQSA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Global Capital Strength ESG Leaders UCITS ETF Class A USD Acc (CESG.L) and Invesco Global Active ESG Equity UCITS ETF USD Acc (IQSA.L). 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.

	CESG.L	IQSA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.49	2.21	-1.73
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.76	3.34	-2.58
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	1.40	-0.31
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.55	3.45	-2.90
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.42	14.73	-13.31

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CESG.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.49, which is lower than the IQSA.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.21. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CESG.L and IQSA.L, 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

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CESG.L drawdown since its inception was -22.69%, smaller than the maximum IQSA.L drawdown of -34.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CESG.L and IQSA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	CESG.L	IQSA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.69%	-34.64%	+11.95%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.81%	-8.65%	-0.16%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-10.31%	-16.99%	+6.68%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.69%	-25.67%	+2.98%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.54%	-0.67%	-0.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.52%	-4.85%	-0.67%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.41%	2.03%	+1.38%

Volatility

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Global Capital Strength ESG Leaders UCITS ETF Class A USD Acc (CESG.L) is 3.44%, while Invesco Global Active ESG Equity UCITS ETF USD Acc (IQSA.L) has a volatility of 3.74%. This indicates that CESG.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IQSA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CESG.L	IQSA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.44%	3.74%	-0.30%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.01%	10.94%	-2.93%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.97%	13.50%	-3.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.62%	16.56%	-3.94%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.53%	18.00%	-5.47%

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

CESG.L has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than IQSA.L's 0.30% expense ratio.

Dividends

CESG.L vs. IQSA.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither CESG.L nor IQSA.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CESG.L and IQSA.L in my portfolio?

CESG.L and IQSA.L have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, CESG.L or IQSA.L?

On fees, IQSA.L is cheaper at 0.30% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, CESG.L or IQSA.L?

IQSA.L is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for CESG.L.

What is the main difference between CESG.L and IQSA.L?

CESG.L is categorized as ESG, while IQSA.L is Global Equities. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Invesco. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for CESG.L and 0.30% for IQSA.L.