FTGC vs. VBTIX
FTGC (First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund) and VBTIX (Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares) are both funds - FTGC is a Commodities fund actively managed by First Trust, while VBTIX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, FTGC returned 7.34%/yr vs 1.53%/yr for VBTIX. At a correlation of -0.08, they often move in opposite directions. FTGC charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VBTIX.
Performance
FTGC vs. VBTIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FTGC achieves a 23.51% return, which is significantly higher than VBTIX's -0.09% return. Over the past 10 years, FTGC has outperformed VBTIX with an annualized return of 7.34%, while VBTIX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.53% 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%
VBTIX
- 1D
- -0.41%
- 1M
- -0.49%
- YTD
- -0.09%
- 6M
- 0.35%
- 1Y
- 4.92%
- 3Y*
- 3.84%
- 5Y*
- 0.05%
- 10Y*
- 1.53%
FTGC vs. VBTIX - 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% |
VBTIX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares | -0.09% | 7.18% | 1.27% | 5.75% | -13.15% | -1.95% | 7.75% | 8.74% | -0.24% | 3.56% |
Correlation
The correlation between FTGC and VBTIX is -0.24, 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 | -0.24 |
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 | -0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 24, 2013 | -0.08 |
The correlation between FTGC and VBTIX shifts across timeframes, from -0.24 (1 year) to -0.07 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FTGC vs. VBTIX — Risk / Return Rank
FTGC
VBTIX
FTGC vs. VBTIX - 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 Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares (VBTIX). 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 | VBTIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.15 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.20 | +0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.52 | 1.52 | +3.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.31 | 4.51 | +9.80 |
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 | VBTIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.27 | 1.12 | +1.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.78 | 0.01 | +0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.50 | 0.31 | +0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.22 | 0.94 | -0.72 |
Drawdowns
FTGC vs. VBTIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FTGC drawdown since its inception was -59.47%, which is greater than VBTIX's maximum drawdown of -18.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTGC and VBTIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FTGC | VBTIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.47% | -18.90% | -40.57% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.91% | -2.89% | -5.02% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.39% | -5.99% | -4.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.64% | -18.13% | -4.51% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.91% | -18.90% | -17.01% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.38% | -2.76% | -4.62% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.40% | -2.32% | -25.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.50% | 0.97% | +1.53% |
Volatility
FTGC vs. VBTIX - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) has a higher volatility of 4.76% compared to Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares (VBTIX) at 1.31%. This indicates that FTGC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBTIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FTGC | VBTIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.76% | 1.31% | +3.45% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.37% | 2.81% | +10.56% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.78% | 3.94% | +11.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.97% | 6.02% | +9.95% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.72% | 4.98% | +9.74% |
FTGC vs. VBTIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
FTGC has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than VBTIX's 0.04% expense ratio.
Dividends
FTGC vs. VBTIX - Dividend Comparison
FTGC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.52%, more than VBTIX's 4.01% 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% |
VBTIX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares | 4.01% | 3.88% | 3.69% | 3.12% | 2.61% | 1.81% | 2.41% | 2.75% | 2.58% | 2.56% | 2.54% | 2.84% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FTGC and VBTIX have a correlation of -0.24, 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 VBTIX (1.31%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FTGC dropped -59.47% vs VBTIX's -18.90%.
FTGC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.27 vs 1.12), 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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