FTGC vs. BSV
FTGC (First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund) and BSV (Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - FTGC is a Commodities fund actively managed by First Trust, while BSV is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. FTGC is actively managed, while BSV is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FTGC returned 7.24%/yr vs 1.94%/yr for BSV. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. FTGC charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BSV.
Performance
FTGC vs. BSV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FTGC achieves a 21.85% return, which is significantly higher than BSV's 0.42% return. Over the past 10 years, FTGC has outperformed BSV with an annualized return of 7.24%, while BSV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.94% annualized return.
FTGC
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- -8.39%
- YTD
- 21.85%
- 6M
- 22.43%
- 1Y
- 32.78%
- 3Y*
- 15.83%
- 5Y*
- 12.04%
- 10Y*
- 7.24%
BSV
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.14%
- YTD
- 0.42%
- 6M
- 0.75%
- 1Y
- 3.58%
- 3Y*
- 4.57%
- 5Y*
- 1.63%
- 10Y*
- 1.94%
FTGC vs. BSV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 21.85% | 14.61% | 9.96% | -5.36% | 17.36% | 27.95% | 2.17% | 6.40% | -12.75% | 2.73% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.42% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 1.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between FTGC and BSV is -0.20, 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 | -0.20 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.08 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 23, 2013 | -0.03 |
The correlation between FTGC and BSV shifts across timeframes, from -0.20 (1 year) to -0.03 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FTGC vs. BSV — Risk / Return Rank
FTGC
BSV
FTGC vs. BSV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV). 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.
| FTGC | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.47 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.39 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.82 | 2.79 | +1.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.11 | 9.42 | +2.69 |
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Drawdowns
FTGC vs. BSV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FTGC drawdown since its inception was -59.47%, which is greater than BSV's maximum drawdown of -8.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTGC and BSV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FTGC | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.47% | -8.54% | -50.93% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.63% | -1.29% | -7.34% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.39% | -1.53% | -8.86% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.64% | -8.54% | -14.10% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.91% | -8.54% | -27.37% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.63% | -0.50% | -8.13% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.37% | -0.97% | -26.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.71% | 0.38% | +2.33% |
Volatility
FTGC vs. BSV - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) has a higher volatility of 3.63% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) at 0.57%. This indicates that FTGC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BSV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FTGC | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.63% | 0.57% | +3.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.30% | 1.28% | +12.02% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.78% | 1.79% | +13.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.97% | 2.73% | +13.24% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.72% | 2.38% | +12.34% |
FTGC vs. BSV - Expense Ratio Comparison
FTGC has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than BSV's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
FTGC vs. BSV - Dividend Comparison
FTGC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.73%, more than BSV's 3.99% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 3.99% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 15.73% | 17.74% | 3.05% | 3.34% | 10.35% | 7.21% | 0.00% | 0.81% | 0.80% | 1.21% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FTGC and BSV have a correlation of -0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FTGC has higher volatility (3.63%) compared to BSV (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FTGC dropped -59.47% vs BSV's -8.54%.
On 10-year performance, FTGC leads with 7.24% vs 1.94% for BSV. On fees, BSV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BSV has been the lower-risk option at 0.57%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, FTGC has performed better with a 7.24% return vs 1.94%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BSV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FTGC.
FTGC has the higher dividend yield at 15.73%, compared with 3.99% for BSV.
FTGC is categorized as Commodities, while BSV is Short-Term Bond. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for FTGC and 0.03% for BSV.
FTGC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.09 vs 2.01), 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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