GDXJ vs. MXI

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) and iShares Global Materials ETF (MXI).

GDXJ and MXI are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. GDXJ is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index. It was launched on Nov 10, 2009. MXI is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the S&P Global Materials Index. It was launched on Sep 21, 2006. Both GDXJ and MXI are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

GDXJ vs. MXI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) and iShares Global Materials ETF (MXI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

GDXJ vs. MXI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
GDXJ VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF	10.08%	172.28%	15.67%	7.12%	-14.53%	-21.25%	30.40%	40.44%	-11.02%	8.22%
MXI iShares Global Materials ETF	9.91%	27.43%	-8.25%	14.37%	-9.09%	15.06%	22.31%	22.19%	-16.06%	30.33%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with GDXJ having a 10.08% return and MXI slightly lower at 9.91%. Over the past 10 years, GDXJ has outperformed MXI with an annualized return of 17.88%, while MXI has yielded a comparatively lower 11.40% annualized return.

GDXJ

• 1D: 4.34%
• 1M: -19.21%
• YTD: 10.08%
• 6M: 28.26%
• 1Y: 125.16%
• 3Y*: 49.66%
• 5Y*: 23.75%
• 10Y*: 17.88%

MXI

• 1D: 3.26%
• 1M: -8.34%
• YTD: 9.91%
• 6M: 16.00%
• 1Y: 32.74%
• 3Y*: 11.38%
• 5Y*: 7.39%
• 10Y*: 11.40%

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

GDXJ vs. MXI - Expense Ratio Comparison

GDXJ has a 0.54% expense ratio, which is higher than MXI's 0.46% expense ratio.

GDXJ

VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF

MXI

iShares Global Materials ETF

Return for Risk

GDXJ vs. MXI — Risk / Return Rank

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

GDXJ

GDXJ Risk / Return Rank: 92
GDXJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
GDXJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 90
GDXJ Omega Ratio Rank: 89
GDXJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
GDXJ Martin Ratio Rank: 92

MXI

MXI Risk / Return Rank: 81
MXI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
MXI Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
MXI Omega Ratio Rank: 80
MXI Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
MXI Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

GDXJ vs. MXI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) and iShares Global Materials ETF (MXI). 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.

	GDXJ	MXI	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.47	1.56	+0.91
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.63	2.10	+0.53
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.30	+0.08
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.77	2.03	+1.73
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.05	8.74	+4.31
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GDXJ vs. MXI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GDXJ Sharpe Ratio is 2.47, which is higher than the MXI Sharpe Ratio of 1.56. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GDXJ and MXI, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GDXJ	MXI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.47	1.56	+0.91
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59	0.38	+0.21
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40	0.56	-0.16
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.08	0.25	-0.18

Correlation

The correlation between GDXJ and MXI is 0.47, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

GDXJ vs. MXI - Dividend Comparison

GDXJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.12%, more than MXI's 2.02% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GDXJ VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF	2.12%	2.33%	2.61%	0.72%	0.51%	1.78%	1.58%	0.39%	0.45%	0.03%	4.78%	0.72%
MXI iShares Global Materials ETF	2.02%	2.22%	3.24%	2.92%	4.84%	3.51%	1.21%	3.64%	2.77%	1.76%	1.31%	3.64%

Drawdowns

GDXJ vs. MXI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GDXJ drawdown since its inception was -88.66%, which is greater than MXI's maximum drawdown of -68.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDXJ and MXI.

Drawdown Indicators

	GDXJ	MXI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-88.66%	-68.44%	-20.22%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-32.92%	-16.18%	-16.74%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-51.76%	-28.76%	-23.00%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-57.77%	-39.52%	-18.25%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-19.81%	-8.85%	-10.96%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-60.90%	-18.19%	-42.71%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	9.51%	3.76%	+5.75%

Volatility

GDXJ vs. MXI - Volatility Comparison

VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) has a higher volatility of 19.46% compared to iShares Global Materials ETF (MXI) at 9.12%. This indicates that GDXJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MXI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GDXJ	MXI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	19.46%	9.12%	+10.34%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	42.52%	15.13%	+27.39%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	50.91%	21.32%	+29.59%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	40.57%	19.43%	+21.14%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	44.46%	20.37%	+24.09%