ECNS vs. IAU
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF (ECNS) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU).
ECNS and IAU are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ECNS is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI China Small Cap Index. It was launched on Sep 28, 2010. IAU is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the LBMA Gold Price. It was launched on Jan 21, 2005. Both ECNS and IAU are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
ECNS vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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ECNS vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ECNS iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF | -0.77% | 36.49% | 5.64% | -23.05% | -24.58% | 2.11% | 25.42% | 7.84% | -18.27% | 27.55% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 8.61% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ECNS achieves a -0.77% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's 8.61% return. Over the past 10 years, ECNS has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of 2.22%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 14.08% annualized return.
ECNS
- 1D
- 1.31%
- 1M
- -9.47%
- YTD
- -0.77%
- 6M
- -14.00%
- 1Y
- 24.71%
- 3Y*
- 4.60%
- 5Y*
- -5.59%
- 10Y*
- 2.22%
IAU
- 1D
- 3.80%
- 1M
- -11.01%
- YTD
- 8.61%
- 6M
- 21.15%
- 1Y
- 49.53%
- 3Y*
- 33.12%
- 5Y*
- 21.78%
- 10Y*
- 14.08%
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ECNS vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
ECNS has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ECNS vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
ECNS
IAU
ECNS vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF (ECNS) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). 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.
| ECNS | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.99 | 1.80 | -0.82 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.38 | 2.24 | -0.85 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.33 | -0.12 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.39 | 2.69 | -1.31 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.09 | 9.97 | -6.88 |
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
| ECNS | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.99 | 1.80 | -0.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.19 | 1.24 | -1.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.09 | 0.89 | -0.81 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.03 | 0.64 | -0.61 |
Correlation
The correlation between ECNS and IAU is 0.12, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
ECNS vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
ECNS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.25%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ECNS iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF | 6.25% | 6.20% | 5.98% | 4.89% | 3.54% | 4.87% | 3.59% | 3.23% | 6.16% | 3.18% | 4.29% | 3.58% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
ECNS vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ECNS drawdown since its inception was -63.43%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ECNS and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ECNS | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.43% | -45.14% | -18.29% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.93% | -19.18% | +2.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -59.61% | -20.93% | -38.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -63.43% | -21.82% | -41.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -36.12% | -13.20% | -22.92% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -29.32% | -15.98% | -13.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.58% | 5.18% | +2.40% |
Volatility
ECNS vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI China Small-Cap ETF (ECNS) is 7.46%, while iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a volatility of 11.02%. This indicates that ECNS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ECNS | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.46% | 11.02% | -3.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.18% | 24.11% | -8.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 25.22% | 27.62% | -2.40% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.43% | 17.69% | +11.74% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.05% | 15.82% | +10.23% |