FTGC vs. IEF
FTGC (First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FTGC is a Commodities fund actively managed by First Trust, while IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. FTGC is actively managed, while IEF is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FTGC returned 7.34%/yr vs 0.53%/yr for IEF. At a correlation of -0.10, they often move in opposite directions. FTGC charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
FTGC vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FTGC achieves a 23.51% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -1.16% return. Over the past 10 years, FTGC has outperformed IEF with an annualized return of 7.34%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively lower 0.53% annualized return.
FTGC
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- -4.09%
- YTD
- 23.51%
- 6M
- 23.08%
- 1Y
- 35.61%
- 3Y*
- 16.53%
- 5Y*
- 12.36%
- 10Y*
- 7.34%
IEF
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- -1.19%
- YTD
- -1.16%
- 6M
- -0.96%
- 1Y
- 3.91%
- 3Y*
- 2.43%
- 5Y*
- -1.34%
- 10Y*
- 0.53%
FTGC vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 23.51% | 14.61% | 9.96% | -5.36% | 17.36% | 27.95% | 2.17% | 6.40% | -12.75% | 2.73% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -1.16% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between FTGC and IEF is -0.22, 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 | -0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.10 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.07 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 24, 2013 | -0.10 |
The correlation between FTGC and IEF shifts across timeframes, from -0.22 (1 year) to -0.07 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
FTGC vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
FTGC
IEF
FTGC vs. IEF - 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 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). 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 | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.43 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.71 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.14 | +0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.52 | 0.96 | +3.56 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.31 | 2.79 | +11.52 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FTGC | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.27 | 0.84 | +1.43 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.78 | -0.17 | +0.95 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.50 | 0.08 | +0.42 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.22 | 0.50 | -0.28 |
Drawdowns
FTGC vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FTGC drawdown since its inception was -59.47%, which is greater than IEF's maximum drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTGC and IEF.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| FTGC | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.47% | -23.93% | -35.54% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.91% | -4.07% | -3.84% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.39% | -7.74% | -2.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.64% | -21.40% | -1.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.91% | -23.93% | -11.98% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.38% | -11.80% | +4.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.40% | -5.35% | -22.05% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.50% | 1.40% | +1.10% |
Volatility
FTGC vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) has a higher volatility of 4.76% compared to iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) at 1.51%. This indicates that FTGC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| FTGC | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.76% | 1.51% | +3.25% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.37% | 3.36% | +10.01% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.78% | 4.69% | +11.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.97% | 7.71% | +8.26% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.72% | 6.63% | +8.09% |
FTGC vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
FTGC has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than IEF's 0.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
FTGC vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
FTGC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.52%, more than IEF's 3.92% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 15.52% | 17.74% | 3.05% | 3.34% | 10.35% | 7.21% | 0.00% | 0.81% | 0.80% | 1.21% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.92% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FTGC and IEF have a correlation of -0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FTGC has higher volatility (4.76%) compared to IEF (1.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FTGC dropped -59.47% vs IEF's -23.93%.
On 10-year performance, FTGC leads with 7.34% vs 0.53% for IEF. On fees, IEF is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, IEF has been the lower-risk option at 1.51%. 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 7.34% return vs 0.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IEF is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FTGC.
FTGC has the higher dividend yield at 15.52%, compared with 3.92% for IEF.
FTGC is categorized as Commodities, while IEF is Government Bonds. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for FTGC and 0.15% for IEF.
FTGC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.27 vs 0.84), 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.
Find the right allocation for FTGC and IEF
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer