EIRL vs. EWG
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI Ireland ETF (EIRL) and iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG).
EIRL and EWG are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. EIRL is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Ireland Investable Market 25/50 Index. It was launched on May 5, 2010. EWG is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Germany Index. It was launched on Mar 12, 1996. Both EIRL and EWG 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
EIRL vs. EWG - Performance Comparison
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EIRL vs. EWG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EIRL iShares MSCI Ireland ETF | -5.67% | 28.82% | -1.64% | 35.13% | -18.83% | 13.72% | 9.63% | 28.15% | -21.92% | 29.82% |
EWG iShares MSCI Germany ETF | -5.41% | 35.79% | 9.79% | 23.35% | -22.27% | 5.84% | 10.09% | 19.15% | -21.40% | 27.42% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with EIRL having a -5.67% return and EWG slightly higher at -5.41%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with EIRL having a 7.13% annualized return and EWG not far ahead at 7.17%.
EIRL
- 1D
- 0.71%
- 1M
- -5.81%
- YTD
- -5.67%
- 6M
- 2.75%
- 1Y
- 20.04%
- 3Y*
- 10.40%
- 5Y*
- 6.18%
- 10Y*
- 7.13%
EWG
- 1D
- 1.34%
- 1M
- -6.32%
- YTD
- -5.41%
- 6M
- -4.58%
- 1Y
- 9.60%
- 3Y*
- 14.76%
- 5Y*
- 6.01%
- 10Y*
- 7.17%
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EIRL vs. EWG - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both EIRL and EWG have an expense ratio of 0.49%.
Return for Risk
EIRL vs. EWG — Risk / Return Rank
EIRL
EWG
EIRL vs. EWG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Ireland ETF (EIRL) and iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG). 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.
| EIRL | EWG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.02 | 0.49 | +0.54 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.52 | 0.83 | +0.69 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.11 | +0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.45 | 0.70 | +0.75 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.27 | 2.27 | +3.00 |
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
| EIRL | EWG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.02 | 0.49 | +0.54 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.33 | 0.34 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.41 | 0.24 | +0.17 |
Correlation
The correlation between EIRL and EWG is 0.71, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
EIRL vs. EWG - Dividend Comparison
EIRL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.87%, more than EWG's 1.69% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EIRL iShares MSCI Ireland ETF | 2.87% | 2.71% | 2.56% | 1.00% | 1.13% | 0.82% | 0.50% | 2.11% | 1.52% | 1.44% | 1.34% | 1.70% |
EWG iShares MSCI Germany ETF | 1.69% | 1.60% | 2.38% | 2.56% | 3.24% | 2.70% | 1.67% | 2.51% | 2.93% | 2.06% | 2.35% | 1.93% |
Drawdowns
EIRL vs. EWG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EIRL drawdown since its inception was -46.48%, smaller than the maximum EWG drawdown of -67.57%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EIRL and EWG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EIRL | EWG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.48% | -67.57% | +21.09% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.28% | -14.54% | +0.26% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -40.14% | -43.44% | +3.30% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.48% | -46.80% | +0.32% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.07% | -9.78% | -0.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.16% | -19.28% | +10.12% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.93% | 4.50% | -0.57% |
Volatility
EIRL vs. EWG - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI Ireland ETF (EIRL) is 7.77%, while iShares MSCI Germany ETF (EWG) has a volatility of 8.28%. This indicates that EIRL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EWG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EIRL | EWG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.77% | 8.28% | -0.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.31% | 12.45% | +0.86% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.70% | 19.83% | -0.13% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.96% | 20.30% | +0.66% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.63% | 21.03% | +0.60% |