FTGC vs. GLDM
FTGC (First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund) and GLDM (SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - FTGC is a Commodities fund actively managed by First Trust, while GLDM is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. FTGC is actively managed, while GLDM is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FTGC returned 13.38%/yr vs 17.18%/yr for GLDM. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FTGC charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for GLDM.
Performance
FTGC vs. GLDM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FTGC achieves a 26.97% return, which is significantly higher than GLDM's -7.15% return.
FTGC
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- 5.36%
- 6M
- 22.85%
- YTD
- 26.97%
- 1Y
- 34.87%
- 3Y*
- 14.80%
- 5Y*
- 13.38%
- 10Y*
- 7.95%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.30%
GLDM
- 1D
- -0.23%
- 1M
- -5.00%
- 6M
- -12.61%
- YTD
- -7.15%
- 1Y
- 19.54%
- 3Y*
- 26.73%
- 5Y*
- 17.18%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 15.27%
FTGC vs. GLDM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 26.97% | 14.61% | 9.96% | -5.36% | 17.36% | 27.95% | 2.17% | 6.40% | -11.77% |
GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | -7.15% | 64.20% | 27.08% | 13.04% | -0.47% | -4.01% | 25.10% | 18.10% | 1.75% |
Correlation
The correlation between FTGC and GLDM is 0.37, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 2018 | 0.35 |
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Return for Risk
FTGC vs. GLDM — Risk / Return Rank
FTGC
GLDM
FTGC vs. GLDM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) and SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM). 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 | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.51 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.90 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.15 | +0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.84 | 0.75 | +2.09 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.34 | 1.75 | +7.59 |
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Drawdowns
FTGC vs. GLDM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FTGC drawdown since its inception was -59.47%, which is greater than GLDM's maximum drawdown of -26.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTGC and GLDM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FTGC | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.47% | -26.27% | -33.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.34% | -26.27% | +13.93% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -12.34% | -26.27% | +13.93% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.64% | -26.27% | +3.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.91% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.78% | -25.76% | +20.98% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.23% | -6.48% | -20.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.74% | 11.22% | -7.48% |
Volatility
FTGC vs. GLDM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) is 4.53%, while SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM) has a volatility of 6.39%. This indicates that FTGC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLDM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FTGC | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.53% | 6.39% | -1.86% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.42% | 24.04% | -10.62% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.85% | 27.86% | -12.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.76% | 18.32% | -2.56% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.72% | 17.07% | -2.35% |
FTGC vs. GLDM - Expense Ratio Comparison
FTGC has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than GLDM's 0.10% expense ratio.
Dividends
FTGC vs. GLDM - Dividend Comparison
FTGC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.26%, while GLDM has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 15.26% | 17.74% | 3.05% | 3.34% | 10.35% | 7.21% | 0.00% | 0.81% | 0.80% | 1.21% |
GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FTGC and GLDM have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GLDM has higher volatility (6.39%) compared to FTGC (4.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FTGC dropped -59.47% vs GLDM's -26.27%.
On 5-year performance, GLDM leads with 17.18% vs 13.38% for FTGC. On fees, GLDM is cheaper at 0.10% per year. On volatility, FTGC has been the lower-risk option at 4.53%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, GLDM has performed better with a 17.18% return vs 13.38%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
GLDM is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FTGC.
FTGC has the higher dividend yield at 15.26%, compared with 0.00% for GLDM.
FTGC is categorized as Commodities, while GLDM is Gold. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for FTGC and 0.10% for GLDM.
FTGC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.22 vs 0.71), 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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