GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L

Last updated Jul 18, 2026

GDIG.L (VanEck S&P Global Mining UCITS ETF) and IMSU.L (iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both Materials funds - GDIG.L tracks the S&P Global Mining Reduced Coal Index while IMSU.L tracks the MSCI World/Materials NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GDIG.L returned 12.28%/yr vs 6.08%/yr for IMSU.L. A 0.58 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. GDIG.L charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IMSU.L.

Performance

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VanEck S&P Global Mining UCITS ETF (GDIG.L) and iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IMSU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

GDIG.L is traded in USD, while IMSU.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the IMSU.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GDIG.L achieves a -2.57% return, which is significantly lower than IMSU.L's 10.71% return.

GDIG.L

• 1D: -2.00%
• 1M: -17.87%
• 6M: -13.29%
• YTD: -2.57%
• 1Y: 48.61%
• 3Y*: 20.16%
• 5Y*: 12.28%
• 10Y*: —

IMSU.L

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: -3.58%
• 6M: 4.26%
• YTD: 10.71%
• 1Y: 14.64%
• 3Y*: 7.95%
• 5Y*: 6.08%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
GDIG.L VanEck S&P Global Mining UCITS ETF	-2.57%	90.59%	-8.69%	4.58%	3.63%	7.14%	31.37%	25.35%	-14.81%
IMSU.L iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	10.71%	11.17%	-0.99%	11.87%	-11.90%	27.47%	19.90%	23.86%	-11.54%

Correlation

The correlation between GDIG.L and IMSU.L is 0.67, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.58
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.61
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 18, 2018	0.58

The correlation between GDIG.L and IMSU.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.58 to 0.67 - a consistent structural relationship.

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	GDIG.L	IMSU.L
Basic Materials	94.5%	90.4%
Energy	3.7%	-
Industrials	1.2%	-
Technology	0.6%	-
Financial Services	0.0%	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	9.6%
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

GDIG.L

GDIG.L Risk / Return Rank: 43
GDIG.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
GDIG.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
GDIG.L Omega Ratio Rank: 42
GDIG.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
GDIG.L Martin Ratio Rank: 38

IMSU.L

IMSU.L Risk / Return Rank: 32
IMSU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
IMSU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 31
IMSU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 29
IMSU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 33
IMSU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 35

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck S&P Global Mining UCITS ETF (GDIG.L) and iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IMSU.L). 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.

	GDIG.L	IMSU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.28	0.89	+0.39
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.77	1.32	+0.45
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.15	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.77	1.25	+0.52
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.67	3.46	+1.21

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GDIG.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.28, which is higher than the IMSU.L Sharpe Ratio of 0.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GDIG.L and IMSU.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GDIG.L drawdown since its inception was -40.03%, roughly equal to the maximum IMSU.L drawdown of -39.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDIG.L and IMSU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	GDIG.L	IMSU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.03%	-39.44%	-0.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-27.29%	-11.66%	-15.63%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.29%	-22.76%	-4.53%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-40.03%	-26.06%	-13.97%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-26.43%	-5.20%	-21.23%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.72%	-10.61%	-2.11%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	10.38%	4.23%	+6.15%

Volatility

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Volatility Comparison

VanEck S&P Global Mining UCITS ETF (GDIG.L) has a higher volatility of 11.13% compared to iShares S&P 500 Materials Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IMSU.L) at 4.85%. This indicates that GDIG.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IMSU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GDIG.L	IMSU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.13%	4.85%	+6.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	31.79%	13.08%	+18.71%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	37.90%	16.41%	+21.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	31.91%	23.25%	+8.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	30.49%	25.89%	+4.60%

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

GDIG.L has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than IMSU.L's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

GDIG.L vs. IMSU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither GDIG.L nor IMSU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GDIG.L and IMSU.L in my portfolio?

GDIG.L and IMSU.L have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, GDIG.L or IMSU.L?

On fees, IMSU.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, GDIG.L or IMSU.L?

IMSU.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for GDIG.L.

What is the main difference between GDIG.L and IMSU.L?

GDIG.L tracks S&P Global Mining Reduced Coal Index, while IMSU.L tracks MSCI World/Materials NR USD. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for GDIG.L and 0.15% for IMSU.L.