FTGC vs. GSG
FTGC (First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund) and GSG (iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust) are both Commodities funds. FTGC is actively managed, while GSG is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FTGC returned 7.77%/yr vs 7.69%/yr for GSG. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FTGC charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for GSG.
Performance
FTGC vs. GSG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FTGC achieves a 27.15% return, which is significantly lower than GSG's 42.58% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with FTGC having a 7.77% annualized return and GSG not far behind at 7.69%.
FTGC
- 1D
- -0.44%
- 1M
- -2.63%
- YTD
- 27.15%
- 6M
- 26.06%
- 1Y
- 41.32%
- 3Y*
- 18.13%
- 5Y*
- 13.08%
- 10Y*
- 7.77%
GSG
- 1D
- 0.77%
- 1M
- -4.83%
- YTD
- 42.58%
- 6M
- 41.06%
- 1Y
- 51.52%
- 3Y*
- 19.31%
- 5Y*
- 15.74%
- 10Y*
- 7.69%
FTGC vs. GSG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 27.15% | 14.61% | 9.96% | -5.36% | 17.36% | 27.95% | 2.17% | 6.40% | -12.75% | 2.73% |
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 42.58% | 5.93% | 8.52% | -5.51% | 24.08% | 38.77% | -23.94% | 15.62% | -13.88% | 3.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between FTGC and GSG is 0.88, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.87 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.82 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 24, 2013 | 0.80 |
The correlation between FTGC and GSG has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
FTGC vs. GSG — Risk / Return Rank
FTGC
GSG
FTGC vs. GSG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) and iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG). 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.
| FTGC | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.41 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.55 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.47 | 1.40 | +0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.25 | 5.47 | -0.22 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 17.39 | 14.39 | +2.99 |
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
| FTGC | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.66 | 2.26 | +0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.82 | 0.70 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.53 | 0.35 | +0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.24 | -0.09 | +0.32 |
Drawdowns
FTGC vs. GSG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FTGC drawdown since its inception was -59.47%, smaller than the maximum GSG drawdown of -89.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTGC and GSG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FTGC | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.47% | -89.62% | +30.15% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.91% | -9.46% | +1.55% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.39% | -14.94% | +4.55% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.64% | -29.12% | +6.48% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.91% | -57.64% | +21.73% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.65% | -56.95% | +52.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.42% | -63.71% | +36.29% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.38% | 3.59% | -1.21% |
Volatility
FTGC vs. GSG - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) is 4.50%, while iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG) has a volatility of 7.65%. This indicates that FTGC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GSG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FTGC | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.50% | 7.65% | -3.15% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.15% | 20.42% | -7.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.59% | 22.95% | -7.36% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.00% | 22.61% | -6.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.71% | 22.03% | -7.32% |
FTGC vs. GSG - Expense Ratio Comparison
FTGC has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than GSG's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
FTGC vs. GSG - Dividend Comparison
FTGC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.08%, while GSG 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 | 15.08% | 17.74% | 3.05% | 3.34% | 10.35% | 7.21% | 0.00% | 0.81% | 0.80% | 1.21% |
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed 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 GSG have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GSG has higher volatility (7.65%) compared to FTGC (4.50%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FTGC dropped -59.47% vs GSG's -89.62%.
On 10-year performance, FTGC leads with 7.77% vs 7.69% for GSG. On fees, GSG is cheaper at 0.75% per year. On volatility, FTGC has been the lower-risk option at 4.50%. 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 7.77% return vs 7.69%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
GSG is cheaper with a 0.75% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FTGC.
FTGC has the higher dividend yield at 15.08%, compared with 0.00% for GSG.
They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for FTGC and 0.75% for GSG.
FTGC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.66 vs 2.26), 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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