EWJ vs. BNO
EWJ (iShares MSCI Japan ETF) and BNO (United States Brent Oil Fund LP) are both exchange-traded funds - EWJ is a Japan Equities fund tracking the MSCI Japan Index, while BNO is a Oil & Gas fund tracking the Front Month Brent Crude Oil. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, EWJ returned 9.28%/yr vs 13.13%/yr for BNO. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. EWJ charges 0.49%/yr vs 0.90%/yr for BNO.
Performance
EWJ vs. BNO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EWJ achieves a 16.58% return, which is significantly lower than BNO's 85.31% return. Over the past 10 years, EWJ has underperformed BNO with an annualized return of 9.28%, while BNO has yielded a comparatively higher 13.13% annualized return.
EWJ
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- 5.46%
- YTD
- 16.58%
- 6M
- 16.78%
- 1Y
- 32.89%
- 3Y*
- 18.51%
- 5Y*
- 8.84%
- 10Y*
- 9.28%
BNO
- 1D
- -2.71%
- 1M
- -9.80%
- YTD
- 85.31%
- 6M
- 79.66%
- 1Y
- 88.71%
- 3Y*
- 26.74%
- 5Y*
- 23.48%
- 10Y*
- 13.13%
EWJ vs. BNO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 16.58% | 25.84% | 7.03% | 20.29% | -17.72% | 1.16% | 15.40% | 19.34% | -14.10% | 24.27% |
BNO United States Brent Oil Fund LP | 85.31% | -5.44% | 9.67% | -3.43% | 35.25% | 62.34% | -38.23% | 36.01% | -15.30% | 15.43% |
Correlation
The correlation between EWJ and BNO is -0.30, 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 | -0.30 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 3, 2010 | 0.20 |
The correlation between EWJ and BNO shifts across timeframes, from -0.30 (1 year) to 0.20 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
EWJ vs. BNO — Risk / Return Rank
EWJ
BNO
EWJ vs. BNO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) and United States Brent Oil Fund LP (BNO). 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.
| EWJ | BNO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.45 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.20 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.36 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.43 | 4.99 | -2.56 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.23 | 9.39 | -1.16 |
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
| EWJ | BNO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.70 | 2.15 | -0.45 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 | 0.67 | -0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 | 0.36 | +0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.11 | 0.14 | -0.02 |
Drawdowns
EWJ vs. BNO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EWJ drawdown since its inception was -60.93%, smaller than the maximum BNO drawdown of -87.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EWJ and BNO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EWJ | BNO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -60.93% | -87.06% | +26.13% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.59% | -17.87% | +4.28% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.68% | -23.75% | +9.07% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.14% | -33.70% | +0.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.14% | -75.18% | +42.04% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -12.72% | +12.72% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.74% | -40.16% | +18.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.01% | 9.48% | -5.47% |
Volatility
EWJ vs. BNO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) is 4.21%, while United States Brent Oil Fund LP (BNO) has a volatility of 14.12%. This indicates that EWJ experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BNO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EWJ | BNO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.21% | 14.12% | -9.91% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.02% | 36.21% | -21.19% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.49% | 41.56% | -22.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.23% | 35.40% | -17.17% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.27% | 36.69% | -19.42% |
EWJ vs. BNO - Expense Ratio Comparison
EWJ has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is lower than BNO's 0.90% expense ratio.
Dividends
EWJ vs. BNO - Dividend Comparison
EWJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.88%, while BNO has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BNO United States Brent Oil Fund LP | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 3.88% | 4.52% | 2.34% | 2.03% | 1.23% | 2.08% | 1.04% | 2.03% | 1.71% | 1.25% | 1.95% | 1.27% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EWJ and BNO have a correlation of -0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
BNO has higher volatility (14.12%) compared to EWJ (4.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EWJ dropped -60.93% vs BNO's -87.06%.
On 10-year performance, BNO leads with 13.13% vs 9.28% for EWJ. On fees, EWJ is cheaper at 0.49% per year. On volatility, EWJ has been the lower-risk option at 4.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, BNO has performed better with a 13.13% return vs 9.28%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
EWJ is cheaper with a 0.49% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for BNO.
EWJ has the higher dividend yield at 3.88%, compared with 0.00% for BNO.
EWJ is categorized as Japan Equities, while BNO is Oil & Gas. EWJ tracks MSCI Japan Index, while BNO tracks Front Month Brent Crude Oil. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Concierge Technologies. Their fees differ too: 0.49% for EWJ and 0.90% for BNO.
BNO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.15 vs 1.70), 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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