DUSL vs. QQQE

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

DUSL (Direxion Daily Industrials Bull 3X Shares) and QQQE (Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - DUSL is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Industrials Select Sector Index (300%), while QQQE is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, DUSL returned 17.84%/yr vs 10.30%/yr for QQQE. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. DUSL charges 1.01%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for QQQE.

Performance

DUSL vs. QQQE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily Industrials Bull 3X Shares (DUSL) and Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares (QQQE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, DUSL achieves a 31.08% return, which is significantly higher than QQQE's 19.12% return.

DUSL

• 1D: 0.10%
• 1M: 4.49%
• YTD: 31.08%
• 6M: 34.15%
• 1Y: 56.97%
• 3Y*: 48.85%
• 5Y*: 17.84%
• 10Y*: —

QQQE

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 10.46%
• YTD: 19.12%
• 6M: 17.48%
• 1Y: 28.68%
• 3Y*: 18.69%
• 5Y*: 10.30%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

DUSL vs. QQQE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
DUSL Direxion Daily Industrials Bull 3X Shares	31.08%	37.50%	34.75%	37.23%	-31.17%	60.72%	-19.77%	90.70%	-46.28%	48.29%
QQQE Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares	19.12%	14.58%	6.98%	33.76%	-24.47%	17.93%	37.85%	36.43%	-5.40%	10.97%

Correlation

The correlation between DUSL and QQQE is 0.63, 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	0.63
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.72
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.74
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 4, 2017	0.69

The correlation between DUSL and QQQE shifts across timeframes, from 0.63 (1 year) to 0.74 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

DUSL vs. QQQE - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	DUSL	QQQE
Industrials	20.1%	10.1%
Utilities	1.2%	3.9%
Technology	0.8%	45.1%
Consumer Cyclical	0.1%	10.9%
Basic Materials	-	0.9%
Communication Services	-	9.1%
Consumer Defensive	-	7.7%
Energy	-	2.0%
Financial Services	-	1.0%
Healthcare	-	8.6%
Real Estate	-	0.7%

Return for Risk

DUSL vs. QQQE — Risk / Return Rank

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

DUSL

DUSL Risk / Return Rank: 34
DUSL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
DUSL Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
DUSL Omega Ratio Rank: 31
DUSL Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
DUSL Martin Ratio Rank: 36

QQQE

QQQE Risk / Return Rank: 58
QQQE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
QQQE Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
QQQE Omega Ratio Rank: 55
QQQE Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
QQQE Martin Ratio Rank: 59

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.

DUSL vs. QQQE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Industrials Bull 3X Shares (DUSL) and Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares (QQQE). 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.

	DUSL	QQQE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.22	2.04	-0.82
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.82	2.79	-0.97
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.35	-0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.70	3.06	-1.36
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.71	10.57	-4.86
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

DUSL vs. QQQE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DUSL Sharpe Ratio is 1.22, which is lower than the QQQE Sharpe Ratio of 2.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DUSL and QQQE, 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

	DUSL	QQQE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.22	2.04	-0.82
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34	0.51	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.75	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.29	0.76	-0.47

Drawdowns

DUSL vs. QQQE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DUSL drawdown since its inception was -85.74%, which is greater than QQQE's maximum drawdown of -32.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DUSL and QQQE.

Drawdown Indicators

	DUSL	QQQE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-85.74%	-32.14%	-53.60%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-33.68%	-9.41%	-24.27%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-50.86%	-21.38%	-29.48%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-58.43%	-32.14%	-26.29%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-32.14%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-12.12%	-0.10%	-12.02%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-22.00%	-5.17%	-16.83%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	10.01%	2.72%	+7.29%

Volatility

DUSL vs. QQQE - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily Industrials Bull 3X Shares (DUSL) has a higher volatility of 14.46% compared to Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares (QQQE) at 3.79%. This indicates that DUSL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QQQE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	DUSL	QQQE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.46%	3.79%	+10.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	38.89%	10.64%	+28.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	46.89%	14.15%	+32.74%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	52.51%	20.30%	+32.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	61.55%	20.72%	+40.83%

DUSL vs. QQQE - Expense Ratio Comparison

DUSL has a 1.01% expense ratio, which is higher than QQQE's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

DUSL vs. QQQE - Dividend Comparison

DUSL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.74%, more than QQQE's 0.52% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DUSL Direxion Daily Industrials Bull 3X Shares	8.74%	11.39%	6.61%	1.28%	0.66%	0.07%	0.48%	1.01%	1.46%	0.57%	0.00%	0.00%
QQQE Direxion NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index Shares	0.52%	0.52%	0.86%	0.79%	0.98%	3.83%	0.54%	0.74%	0.80%	0.65%	1.17%	0.57%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DUSL and QQQE in my portfolio?

DUSL and QQQE have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, DUSL or QQQE?

DUSL has higher volatility (14.46%) compared to QQQE (3.79%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DUSL dropped -85.74% vs QQQE's -32.14%.

Which ETF is better, DUSL or QQQE?

On 5-year performance, DUSL leads with 17.84% vs 10.30% for QQQE. On fees, QQQE is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, QQQE has been the lower-risk option at 3.79%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, DUSL or QQQE?

Over the 5-year period, DUSL has performed better with a 17.84% return vs 10.30%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, DUSL or QQQE?

QQQE is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 1.01% for DUSL.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, DUSL or QQQE?

DUSL has the higher dividend yield at 8.74%, compared with 0.52% for QQQE.

What is the main difference between DUSL and QQQE?

DUSL is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while QQQE is Nasdaq-100. DUSL tracks Industrials Select Sector Index (300%), while QQQE tracks NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index. Their fees differ too: 1.01% for DUSL and 0.35% for QQQE.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

QQQE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs 1.22), 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.