FBT.L vs. IHCU.L
FBT.L (First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Acc) and IHCU.L (iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds - FBT.L tracks the NASDAQ Biotechnology TR USD while IHCU.L tracks the iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc). Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FBT.L returned 8.78%/yr vs 6.27%/yr for IHCU.L. A 0.60 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FBT.L charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IHCU.L.
Performance
FBT.L vs. IHCU.L - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FBT.L achieves a 17.27% return, which is significantly higher than IHCU.L's 3.10% return.
FBT.L
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- 8.27%
- 6M
- 14.75%
- YTD
- 17.27%
- 1Y
- 49.02%
- 3Y*
- 15.75%
- 5Y*
- 8.78%
- 10Y*
- —
IHCU.L
- 1D
- 0.45%
- 1M
- 4.09%
- 6M
- 1.95%
- YTD
- 3.10%
- 1Y
- 20.87%
- 3Y*
- 7.15%
- 5Y*
- 6.27%
- 10Y*
- 9.36%
FBT.L vs. IHCU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FBT.L First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Acc | 17.27% | 17.28% | 6.52% | -1.81% | 5.32% | -2.57% | 7,473.50% |
IHCU.L iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) | 3.10% | 6.77% | 3.96% | -3.89% | 8.99% | 29.15% | 1.19% |
Correlation
The correlation between FBT.L and IHCU.L is 0.64, 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 | 0.64 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.59 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 20, 2020 | 0.60 |
The correlation between FBT.L and IHCU.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.59 to 0.64 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
FBT.L vs. IHCU.L — Risk / Return Rank
FBT.L
IHCU.L
FBT.L vs. IHCU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Acc (FBT.L) and iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IHCU.L). 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.
| FBT.L | IHCU.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.97 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.26 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.23 | +0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.53 | 1.79 | +1.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.57 | 4.47 | +5.10 |
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Drawdowns
FBT.L vs. IHCU.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FBT.L drawdown since its inception was -30.39%, smaller than the maximum IHCU.L drawdown of -38.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FBT.L and IHCU.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FBT.L | IHCU.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -30.39% | -38.44% | +8.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.81% | -11.54% | -2.27% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.59% | -23.98% | -0.61% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.59% | -23.98% | -0.61% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -23.98% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.56% | -4.34% | -0.22% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.21% | -9.78% | -3.43% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.11% | 4.63% | +0.48% |
Volatility
FBT.L vs. IHCU.L - Volatility Comparison
First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Acc (FBT.L) has a higher volatility of 6.25% compared to iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IHCU.L) at 5.45%. This indicates that FBT.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IHCU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FBT.L | IHCU.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.25% | 5.45% | +0.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.78% | 11.14% | +4.64% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.92% | 15.18% | +5.74% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.80% | 20.31% | +3.49% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3,210.80% | 18.55% | +3,192.25% |
FBT.L vs. IHCU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
FBT.L has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than IHCU.L's 0.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
FBT.L vs. IHCU.L - Dividend Comparison
Neither FBT.L nor IHCU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
FBT.L and IHCU.L have a correlation of 0.64, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, IHCU.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
IHCU.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for FBT.L.
FBT.L tracks NASDAQ Biotechnology TR USD, while IHCU.L tracks iShares S&P 500 Health Care Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc). They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for FBT.L and 0.15% for IHCU.L.
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