FICS vs. YCS
FICS (First Trust International Developed Capital Strength ETF) and YCS (ProShares UltraShort Yen) are both exchange-traded funds - FICS is a Global Equities fund tracking the The International Developed Capital Strength Index, while YCS is a Leveraged Currency fund tracking the USD/JPY Exchange Rate (-200%). Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FICS returned 5.14%/yr vs 23.54%/yr for YCS. At a correlation of -0.28, they often move in opposite directions. FICS charges 0.70%/yr vs 1.00%/yr for YCS.
Performance
FICS vs. YCS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FICS achieves a 1.91% return, which is significantly lower than YCS's 7.17% return.
FICS
- 1D
- 1.06%
- 1M
- 1.14%
- YTD
- 1.91%
- 6M
- 4.57%
- 1Y
- 3.73%
- 3Y*
- 10.27%
- 5Y*
- 5.14%
- 10Y*
- —
YCS
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 3.39%
- YTD
- 7.17%
- 6M
- 10.02%
- 1Y
- 34.99%
- 3Y*
- 20.03%
- 5Y*
- 23.54%
- 10Y*
- 12.16%
FICS vs. YCS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FICS First Trust International Developed Capital Strength ETF | 1.91% | 20.44% | 2.59% | 18.07% | -19.47% | 19.78% | 2.20% |
YCS ProShares UltraShort Yen | 7.17% | 9.04% | 35.41% | 28.70% | 29.09% | 22.38% | -0.33% |
Correlation
The correlation between FICS and YCS is -0.48, 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 | -0.48 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.33 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 17, 2020 | -0.28 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between FICS and YCS has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.28 to -0.48, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
FICS vs. YCS — Risk / Return Rank
FICS
YCS
FICS vs. YCS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust International Developed Capital Strength ETF (FICS) and ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS). 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.
| FICS | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.77 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.10 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.06 | 1.38 | -0.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.36 | 4.23 | -3.87 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.04 | 13.22 | -12.18 |
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
| FICS | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 | 2.06 | -1.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.30 | 1.12 | -0.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.64 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.43 | 0.33 | +0.10 |
Drawdowns
FICS vs. YCS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FICS drawdown since its inception was -29.16%, smaller than the maximum YCS drawdown of -49.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FICS and YCS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FICS | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -29.16% | -49.56% | +20.40% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.32% | -8.30% | -2.02% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.66% | -23.05% | +11.39% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.16% | -27.32% | -1.84% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -27.32% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.77% | 0.00% | -3.77% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.20% | -19.93% | +12.73% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.60% | 2.65% | +0.95% |
Volatility
FICS vs. YCS - Volatility Comparison
First Trust International Developed Capital Strength ETF (FICS) has a higher volatility of 4.55% compared to ProShares UltraShort Yen (YCS) at 2.62%. This indicates that FICS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than YCS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FICS | YCS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.55% | 2.62% | +1.93% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.78% | 12.31% | -1.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.27% | 17.18% | -3.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.20% | 21.09% | -3.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.94% | 19.01% | -2.07% |
FICS vs. YCS - Expense Ratio Comparison
FICS has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is lower than YCS's 1.00% expense ratio.
Dividends
FICS vs. YCS - Dividend Comparison
FICS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.94%, while YCS has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FICS First Trust International Developed Capital Strength ETF | 1.94% | 1.85% | 2.01% | 1.02% | 1.89% | 1.26% |
YCS ProShares UltraShort Yen | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FICS and YCS have a correlation of -0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FICS has higher volatility (4.55%) compared to YCS (2.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FICS dropped -29.16% vs YCS's -49.56%.
On 5-year performance, YCS leads with 23.54% vs 5.14% for FICS. On fees, FICS is cheaper at 0.70% per year. On volatility, YCS has been the lower-risk option at 2.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, YCS has performed better with a 23.54% return vs 5.14%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FICS is cheaper with a 0.70% expense ratio, compared with 1.00% for YCS.
FICS has the higher dividend yield at 1.94%, compared with 0.00% for YCS.
FICS is categorized as Global Equities, while YCS is Leveraged Currency. FICS tracks The International Developed Capital Strength Index, while YCS tracks USD/JPY Exchange Rate (-200%). They also come from different issuers: First Trust and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 0.70% for FICS and 1.00% for YCS.
YCS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 0.28), 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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