GSG vs. DBA
GSG (iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust) and DBA (Invesco DB Agriculture Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - GSG is a Commodities fund tracking the S&P GSCI Total Return Index, while DBA is a Agricultural Commodities fund tracking the DBIQ Diversified Agriculture Index Excess Return. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, GSG returned 8.91%/yr vs 4.57%/yr for DBA. Their 0.45 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. GSG charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.88%/yr for DBA.
Performance
GSG vs. DBA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GSG achieves a 38.94% return, which is significantly higher than DBA's 7.80% return. Over the past 10 years, GSG has outperformed DBA with an annualized return of 8.91%, while DBA has yielded a comparatively lower 4.57% annualized return.
GSG
- 1D
- 0.28%
- 1M
- 13.10%
- 6M
- 25.75%
- YTD
- 38.94%
- 1Y
- 40.53%
- 3Y*
- 14.13%
- 5Y*
- 14.47%
- 10Y*
- 8.91%
- ALL TIME*
- -2.13%
DBA
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- 2.42%
- 6M
- 7.21%
- YTD
- 7.80%
- 1Y
- 10.05%
- 3Y*
- 12.21%
- 5Y*
- 10.82%
- 10Y*
- 4.57%
- ALL TIME*
- 1.46%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $21.27M | $23.75M | $33.82M | |
| $16.60M | $17.31M | $26.52M |
GSG vs. DBA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 38.94% | 5.93% | 8.52% | -5.51% | 24.08% | 38.77% | -23.94% | 15.62% | -13.88% | 3.89% |
DBA Invesco DB Agriculture Fund | 7.80% | -0.56% | 33.45% | 7.64% | 2.53% | 22.37% | -2.54% | -0.71% | -8.74% | -6.06% |
Correlation
The correlation between GSG and DBA is 0.38, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.28 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.39 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.38 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 5, 2007 | 0.45 |
The correlation between GSG and DBA shifts across timeframes, from 0.28 (3 years) to 0.45 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
GSG vs. DBA — Risk / Return Rank
GSG
DBA
GSG vs. DBA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG) and Invesco DB Agriculture Fund (DBA). 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.
| GSG | DBA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.77 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.17 | +0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.16 | 1.16 | +1.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.99 | 2.40 | +4.59 |
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Drawdowns
GSG vs. DBA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GSG drawdown since its inception was -89.62%, which is greater than DBA's maximum drawdown of -67.97%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GSG and DBA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GSG | DBA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -89.62% | -67.97% | -21.65% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.81% | -8.67% | -10.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.81% | -12.36% | -6.45% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.12% | -15.94% | -13.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -57.64% | -35.64% | -22.00% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -58.05% | -24.11% | -33.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -63.67% | -40.97% | -22.70% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.84% | 4.19% | +1.65% |
Volatility
GSG vs. DBA - Volatility Comparison
iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG) has a higher volatility of 8.11% compared to Invesco DB Agriculture Fund (DBA) at 4.72%. This indicates that GSG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DBA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GSG | DBA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.11% | 4.72% | +3.39% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 22.18% | 8.10% | +14.08% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.23% | 11.12% | +13.11% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.86% | 13.78% | +9.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.06% | 13.05% | +9.01% |
GSG vs. DBA - Expense Ratio Comparison
GSG has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is lower than DBA's 0.88% expense ratio.
Dividends
GSG vs. DBA - Dividend Comparison
GSG has not paid dividends to shareholders, while DBA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.32%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DBA Invesco DB Agriculture Fund | 3.32% | 3.58% | 4.08% | 4.63% | 0.48% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.55% | 1.06% |
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% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GSG and DBA have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GSG has higher volatility (8.11%) compared to DBA (4.72%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GSG dropped -89.62% vs DBA's -67.97%.
On 10-year performance, GSG leads with 8.91% vs 4.57% for DBA. On fees, GSG is cheaper at 0.75% per year. On volatility, DBA has been the lower-risk option at 4.72%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, GSG has performed better with a 8.91% return vs 4.57%. 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 0.88% for DBA.
DBA has the higher dividend yield at 3.32%, compared with 0.00% for GSG.
GSG is categorized as Commodities, while DBA is Agricultural Commodities. GSG tracks S&P GSCI Total Return Index, while DBA tracks DBIQ Diversified Agriculture Index Excess Return. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Invesco. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for GSG and 0.88% for DBA.
GSG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.68 vs 0.91), 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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