CTEC vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CTEC (Global X CleanTech ETF) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CTEC is a Alternative Energy Equities fund tracking the Indxx Global CleanTech Index, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, CTEC returned -3.59%/yr vs 13.83%/yr for SPY. A 0.55 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. CTEC charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

CTEC vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Global X CleanTech ETF (CTEC) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CTEC achieves a 42.98% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 10.91% return.

CTEC

• 1D: -2.79%
• 1M: 11.16%
• YTD: 42.98%
• 6M: 39.64%
• 1Y: 130.98%
• 3Y*: 2.15%
• 5Y*: -3.59%
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: 5.05%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 10.91%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.83%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

CTEC vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
CTEC Global X CleanTech ETF	42.98%	57.85%	-36.35%	-25.60%	-16.82%	-22.19%	47.46%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	13.79%

Correlation

The correlation between CTEC and SPY 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	0.52
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 30, 2020	0.55

The correlation between CTEC and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.52 to 0.61 - a consistent structural relationship.

CTEC vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	CTEC	SPY
Industrials	47.5%	7.8%
Energy	24.0%	3.6%
Technology	12.6%	35.9%
Basic Materials	3.4%	1.8%
Consumer Cyclical	3.4%	10.3%
Utilities	1.9%	2.4%
Communication Services	-	11.3%
Consumer Defensive	-	4.8%
Financial Services	-	11.8%
Healthcare	-	8.4%
Real Estate	-	1.9%

Return for Risk

CTEC vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

CTEC

CTEC Risk / Return Rank: 90
CTEC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
CTEC Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
CTEC Omega Ratio Rank: 84
CTEC Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
CTEC Martin Ratio Rank: 88

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

CTEC vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X CleanTech ETF (CTEC) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.

	CTEC	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.77	2.38	+1.39
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.13	3.24	+0.89
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.52	1.43	+0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	7.48	3.16	+4.31
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	19.45	14.72	+4.73
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CTEC vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CTEC Sharpe Ratio is 3.77, which is higher than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CTEC and SPY, 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

	CTEC	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.77	2.38	+1.39
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.10	0.82	-0.91
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.01	0.59	-0.58

Drawdowns

CTEC vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CTEC drawdown since its inception was -81.58%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CTEC and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	CTEC	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-81.58%	-55.19%	-26.39%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-17.62%	-8.88%	-8.74%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-65.77%	-18.76%	-47.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-76.46%	-24.50%	-51.96%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.72%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-45.76%	-0.70%	-45.06%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-52.39%	-9.05%	-43.34%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.76%	1.91%	+4.85%

Volatility

CTEC vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Global X CleanTech ETF (CTEC) has a higher volatility of 11.34% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that CTEC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CTEC	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.34%	2.84%	+8.50%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	23.75%	8.90%	+14.85%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	34.94%	11.83%	+23.11%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	36.39%	17.05%	+19.34%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	37.77%	17.94%	+19.83%

CTEC vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

CTEC has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

CTEC vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

CTEC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.52%, less than SPY's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CTEC Global X CleanTech ETF	0.52%	0.75%	1.56%	0.51%	0.25%	0.39%	0.02%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CTEC and SPY in my portfolio?

CTEC and SPY 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 is riskier, CTEC or SPY?

CTEC has higher volatility (11.34%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CTEC dropped -81.58% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which ETF is better, CTEC or SPY?

On 5-year performance, SPY leads with 13.83% vs -3.59% for CTEC. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CTEC or SPY?

Over the 5-year period, SPY has performed better with a 13.83% return vs -3.59%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CTEC or SPY?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for CTEC.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CTEC or SPY?

SPY has the higher dividend yield at 0.98%, compared with 0.52% for CTEC.

What is the main difference between CTEC and SPY?

CTEC is categorized as Alternative Energy Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. CTEC tracks Indxx Global CleanTech Index, while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: Global X and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for CTEC and 0.09% for SPY.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CTEC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.77 vs 2.38), 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.