DESK vs. GSG
DESK (Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF) and GSG (iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - DESK is a REIT fund tracking the MarketVector US Listed Office And Commercial REITS Index - Benchmark TR Gross, while GSG is a Commodities fund tracking the S&P GSCI Total Return Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, DESK returned 2.26% vs 51.52% for GSG. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. DESK charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for GSG.
Performance
DESK vs. GSG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DESK achieves a 5.73% return, which is significantly lower than GSG's 42.58% return.
DESK
- 1D
- -0.49%
- 1M
- 6.07%
- YTD
- 5.73%
- 6M
- 1.92%
- 1Y
- 2.26%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
GSG
- 1D
- 0.77%
- 1M
- -4.83%
- YTD
- 42.58%
- 6M
- 41.06%
- 1Y
- 51.52%
- 3Y*
- 19.31%
- 5Y*
- 15.74%
- 10Y*
- 7.69%
DESK vs. GSG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DESK Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF | 5.73% | -10.42% | 16.01% | 18.89% |
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 42.58% | 5.93% | 8.52% | -10.96% |
Correlation
The correlation between DESK and GSG is -0.17, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 2023 | -0.02 |
The correlation between DESK and GSG shifts across timeframes, from -0.17 (1 year) to -0.02 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
DESK vs. GSG — Risk / Return Rank
DESK
GSG
DESK vs. GSG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF (DESK) and iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG). 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.
| DESK | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.58 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.03 | 1.40 | -0.37 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.09 | 5.47 | -5.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.19 | 14.39 | -14.20 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| DESK | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.11 | 2.26 | -2.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.70 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.35 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.41 | -0.09 | +0.49 |
Drawdowns
DESK vs. GSG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DESK drawdown since its inception was -28.65%, smaller than the maximum GSG drawdown of -89.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DESK and GSG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DESK | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.65% | -89.62% | +60.97% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -25.09% | -9.46% | -15.63% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -14.94% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -29.12% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -57.64% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.46% | -56.95% | +43.49% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.04% | -63.71% | +52.67% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 11.82% | 3.59% | +8.23% |
Volatility
DESK vs. GSG - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF (DESK) is 5.71%, while iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG) has a volatility of 7.65%. This indicates that DESK experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GSG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DESK | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.71% | 7.65% | -1.94% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.45% | 20.42% | -5.97% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.97% | 22.95% | -2.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.68% | 22.61% | +3.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.68% | 22.03% | +3.65% |
DESK vs. GSG - Expense Ratio Comparison
DESK has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is lower than GSG's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
DESK vs. GSG - Dividend Comparison
DESK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.09%, while GSG has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DESK Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF | 5.09% | 5.15% | 3.78% | 1.73% |
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DESK and GSG have a correlation of -0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GSG has higher volatility (7.65%) compared to DESK (5.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DESK dropped -28.65% vs GSG's -89.62%.
On 1-year performance, GSG leads with 51.52% vs 2.26% for DESK. On fees, DESK is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, DESK has been the lower-risk option at 5.71%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, GSG has performed better with a 51.52% return vs 2.26%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DESK is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for GSG.
DESK has the higher dividend yield at 5.09%, compared with 0.00% for GSG.
DESK is categorized as REIT, while GSG is Commodities. DESK tracks MarketVector US Listed Office And Commercial REITS Index - Benchmark TR Gross, while GSG tracks S&P GSCI Total Return Index. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for DESK and 0.75% for GSG.
GSG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.26 vs 0.11), 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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