CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

CSCA.L (iShares MSCI Canada UCITS ETF (USD Accumulating)) and ACWI.L (SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CSCA.L is a Canada Equities fund tracking the MSCI Canada Index, while ACWI.L is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI ACWI NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, CSCA.L returned 11.72%/yr vs 13.49%/yr for ACWI.L. A 0.61 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. CSCA.L charges 0.48%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for ACWI.L.

Performance

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares MSCI Canada UCITS ETF (USD Accumulating) (CSCA.L) and SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

CSCA.L is traded in GBp, while ACWI.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the ACWI.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CSCA.L achieves a 9.66% return, which is significantly lower than ACWI.L's 11.83% return. Over the past 10 years, CSCA.L has underperformed ACWI.L with an annualized return of 11.72%, while ACWI.L has yielded a comparatively higher 13.49% annualized return.

CSCA.L

• 1D: 0.52%
• 1M: 3.48%
• YTD: 9.66%
• 6M: 12.09%
• 1Y: 34.16%
• 3Y*: 19.18%
• 5Y*: 12.56%
• 10Y*: 11.72%

ACWI.L

• 1D: -0.04%
• 1M: 5.29%
• YTD: 11.83%
• 6M: 12.33%
• 1Y: 30.27%
• 3Y*: 18.14%
• 5Y*: 12.52%
• 10Y*: 13.49%

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

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CSCA.L iShares MSCI Canada UCITS ETF (USD Accumulating)	9.66%	27.37%	14.01%	7.76%	-1.83%	24.99%	3.07%	21.81%	-12.31%	5.15%
ACWI.L SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF	11.83%	14.32%	19.66%	15.59%	-8.59%	20.28%	11.89%	21.92%	-4.58%	12.93%

Correlation

The correlation between CSCA.L and ACWI.L is 0.61, 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	0.61
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.67
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.70
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.71
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 27, 2011	0.61

The correlation between CSCA.L and ACWI.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.61 to 0.71 - a consistent structural relationship.

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	CSCA.L	ACWI.L
Financial Services	39.3%	16.5%
Energy	19.4%	4.3%
Basic Materials	14.6%	3.6%
Industrials	9.0%	10.9%
Technology	7.7%	29.2%
Consumer Cyclical	3.6%	9.3%
Consumer Defensive	3.3%	4.9%
Utilities	2.2%	2.7%
Communication Services	0.7%	9.0%
Real Estate	0.2%	1.7%
Healthcare	-	8.0%

Return for Risk

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

CSCA.L

CSCA.L Risk / Return Rank: 90
CSCA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
CSCA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
CSCA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 91
CSCA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
CSCA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 89

ACWI.L

ACWI.L Risk / Return Rank: 86
ACWI.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
ACWI.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
ACWI.L Omega Ratio Rank: 89
ACWI.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
ACWI.L Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Canada UCITS ETF (USD Accumulating) (CSCA.L) and SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.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.

	CSCA.L	ACWI.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.12	2.89	+0.23
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.39	3.99	+0.40
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.59	1.55	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.85	4.28	+0.57
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	19.98	17.31	+2.67
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CSCA.L Sharpe Ratio is 3.12, which is comparable to the ACWI.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CSCA.L and ACWI.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CSCA.L	ACWI.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.12	2.89	+0.23
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89	0.96	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.76	0.94	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.61	0.81	-0.20

Drawdowns

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CSCA.L drawdown since its inception was -33.80%, which is greater than ACWI.L's maximum drawdown of -25.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CSCA.L and ACWI.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	CSCA.L	ACWI.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.80%	-25.44%	-8.36%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.01%	-7.05%	+0.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.18%	-18.07%	+3.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.18%	-18.07%	+3.89%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.68%	-25.44%	-8.24%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.41%	+0.41%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.07%	-3.67%	-2.40%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.71%	1.74%	-0.03%

Volatility

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares MSCI Canada UCITS ETF (USD Accumulating) (CSCA.L) is 1.69%, while SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.L) has a volatility of 2.90%. This indicates that CSCA.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ACWI.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CSCA.L	ACWI.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.69%	2.90%	-1.21%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.71%	7.75%	-0.04%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.91%	10.42%	+0.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.86%	13.05%	+1.81%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.00%	14.39%	+2.61%

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

CSCA.L has a 0.48% expense ratio, which is higher than ACWI.L's 0.40% expense ratio.

Dividends

CSCA.L vs. ACWI.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither CSCA.L nor ACWI.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CSCA.L and ACWI.L in my portfolio?

CSCA.L and ACWI.L have a correlation of 0.61, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, CSCA.L or ACWI.L?

On fees, ACWI.L is cheaper at 0.40% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, CSCA.L or ACWI.L?

ACWI.L is cheaper with a 0.40% expense ratio, compared with 0.48% for CSCA.L.

What is the main difference between CSCA.L and ACWI.L?

CSCA.L is categorized as Canada Equities, while ACWI.L is Global Equities. CSCA.L tracks MSCI Canada Index, while ACWI.L tracks MSCI ACWI NR USD. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.48% for CSCA.L and 0.40% for ACWI.L.