EART vs. SLX
EART (Global X Rare Earth & Critical Materials ETF) and SLX (VanEck Vectors Steel ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EART is a Rare Earth & Strategic Metals fund tracking the Solactive Rare Earth & Critical Materials Index, while SLX is a Materials fund tracking the NYSE Arca Steel Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, EART returned 19.97%/yr vs 21.27%/yr for SLX. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. EART charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.56%/yr for SLX.
Performance
EART vs. SLX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EART achieves a 8.19% return, which is significantly lower than SLX's 19.94% return.
EART
- 1D
- -5.19%
- 1M
- -5.99%
- YTD
- 8.19%
- 6M
- 8.04%
- 1Y
- 90.35%
- 3Y*
- 19.97%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
SLX
- 1D
- -2.86%
- 1M
- -4.58%
- YTD
- 19.94%
- 6M
- 19.56%
- 1Y
- 60.79%
- 3Y*
- 21.27%
- 5Y*
- 14.70%
- 10Y*
- 18.83%
EART vs. SLX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EART Global X Rare Earth & Critical Materials ETF | 8.19% | 98.48% | -7.19% | -19.75% | -17.92% |
SLX VanEck Vectors Steel ETF | 19.94% | 47.45% | -17.94% | 31.25% | 16.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between EART and SLX is 0.68, 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 | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 26, 2022 | 0.69 |
The correlation between EART and SLX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.65 to 0.69 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
EART vs. SLX — Risk / Return Rank
EART
SLX
EART vs. SLX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Global X Rare Earth & Critical Materials ETF (EART) and VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX). 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.
| EART | SLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.40 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.49 | 3.74 | -0.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.10 | 12.59 | -2.50 |
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Drawdowns
EART vs. SLX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EART drawdown since its inception was -53.68%, smaller than the maximum SLX drawdown of -82.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EART and SLX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EART | SLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.68% | -82.14% | +28.46% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -26.03% | -16.35% | -9.68% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -37.20% | -27.39% | -9.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -33.62% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -61.64% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -18.05% | -10.38% | -7.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -28.98% | -38.63% | +9.65% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.98% | 4.84% | +4.14% |
Volatility
EART vs. SLX - Volatility Comparison
Global X Rare Earth & Critical Materials ETF (EART) has a higher volatility of 13.28% compared to VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) at 9.40%. This indicates that EART's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SLX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EART | SLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 13.28% | 9.40% | +3.88% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 33.46% | 19.29% | +14.17% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 39.51% | 25.19% | +14.32% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 34.26% | 27.84% | +6.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 34.26% | 30.90% | +3.36% |
EART vs. SLX - Expense Ratio Comparison
EART has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is higher than SLX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Dividends
EART vs. SLX - Dividend Comparison
EART's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.60%, less than SLX's 1.29% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EART Global X Rare Earth & Critical Materials ETF | 0.60% | 0.65% | 1.06% | 1.83% | 2.04% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SLX VanEck Vectors Steel ETF | 1.29% | 1.55% | 3.56% | 2.80% | 4.97% | 7.07% | 1.87% | 3.44% | 6.26% | 2.50% | 1.06% | 5.35% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EART and SLX have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EART has higher volatility (13.28%) compared to SLX (9.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EART dropped -53.68% vs SLX's -82.14%.
On 3-year performance, SLX leads with 21.27% vs 19.97% for EART. On fees, SLX is cheaper at 0.56% per year. On volatility, SLX has been the lower-risk option at 9.40%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, SLX has performed better with a 21.27% return vs 19.97%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SLX is cheaper with a 0.56% expense ratio, compared with 0.59% for EART.
SLX has the higher dividend yield at 1.29%, compared with 0.60% for EART.
EART is categorized as Rare Earth & Strategic Metals, while SLX is Materials. EART tracks Solactive Rare Earth & Critical Materials Index, while SLX tracks NYSE Arca Steel Index. They also come from different issuers: Global X and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.59% for EART and 0.56% for SLX.
SLX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.43 vs 2.30), 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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