GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

GSPX.L (iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF) and ICSU.L (iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both exchange-traded funds - GSPX.L is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while ICSU.L is a Consumer Staples Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Consumer Staples Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, GSPX.L returned 12.56%/yr vs 7.91%/yr for ICSU.L. At a 0.23 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. GSPX.L charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for ICSU.L.

Performance

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (GSPX.L) and iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

GSPX.L is traded in GBP, while ICSU.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the ICSU.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GSPX.L achieves a 10.04% return, which is significantly higher than ICSU.L's 6.60% return.

GSPX.L

• 1D: -0.03%
• 1M: 4.53%
• YTD: 10.04%
• 6M: 10.80%
• 1Y: 27.24%
• 3Y*: 21.42%
• 5Y*: 12.56%
• 10Y*: —

ICSU.L

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: -1.78%
• YTD: 6.60%
• 6M: 6.25%
• 1Y: 3.19%
• 3Y*: 5.52%
• 5Y*: 7.91%
• 10Y*: —

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

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
GSPX.L iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF	10.04%	17.15%	24.63%	24.88%	-20.60%	28.94%	15.10%	27.75%	-8.17%
ICSU.L iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	6.60%	-3.20%	16.26%	-5.83%	11.78%	19.63%	5.64%	22.78%	3.15%

Correlation

The correlation between GSPX.L and ICSU.L is -0.19, 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	-0.19
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	-0.00
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.11
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 4, 2018	0.23

The correlation between GSPX.L and ICSU.L shifts across timeframes, from -0.19 (1 year) to 0.23 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	GSPX.L	ICSU.L
Technology	38.6%	-
Financial Services	11.3%	-
Communication Services	10.6%	-
Consumer Cyclical	9.6%	1.0%
Healthcare	8.2%	-
Industrials	7.6%	-
Consumer Defensive	4.6%	99.0%
Energy	3.3%	-
Utilities	2.6%	-
Basic Materials	1.7%	-
Real Estate	1.7%	-

Return for Risk

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

GSPX.L

GSPX.L Risk / Return Rank: 73
GSPX.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
GSPX.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
GSPX.L Omega Ratio Rank: 74
GSPX.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
GSPX.L Martin Ratio Rank: 75

ICSU.L

ICSU.L Risk / Return Rank: 13
ICSU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
ICSU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 13

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.

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (GSPX.L) and iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.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.

	GSPX.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.34	0.22	+2.12
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.39	0.43	+2.97
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.43	1.05	+0.38
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.22	0.34	+2.87
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	14.09	0.82	+13.27
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GSPX.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.34, which is higher than the ICSU.L Sharpe Ratio of 0.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GSPX.L and ICSU.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GSPX.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.34	0.22	+2.12
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.78	0.59	+0.19
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.78	0.48	+0.30

Drawdowns

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GSPX.L drawdown since its inception was -34.88%, which is greater than ICSU.L's maximum drawdown of -18.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GSPX.L and ICSU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	GSPX.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.88%	-18.54%	-16.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.43%	-9.24%	+0.81%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.91%	-11.59%	-7.32%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.77%	-13.70%	-12.07%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.52%	-7.40%	+6.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.61%	-4.93%	-0.68%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.93%	3.87%	-1.94%

Volatility

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (GSPX.L) is 3.17%, while iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L) has a volatility of 6.57%. This indicates that GSPX.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ICSU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GSPX.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.17%	6.57%	-3.40%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.48%	11.97%	-3.49%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.57%	14.37%	-2.80%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.05%	13.45%	+2.60%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.63%	14.31%	+3.32%

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

GSPX.L has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than ICSU.L's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

GSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Dividend Comparison

GSPX.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.80%, while ICSU.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
GSPX.L iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF	0.80%	0.89%	0.99%	1.15%	1.40%	0.96%	1.31%	1.50%	0.11%
ICSU.L iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GSPX.L and ICSU.L in my portfolio?

GSPX.L and ICSU.L have a correlation of -0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, GSPX.L or ICSU.L?

On fees, GSPX.L is cheaper at 0.10% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, GSPX.L or ICSU.L?

GSPX.L is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for ICSU.L.

What is the main difference between GSPX.L and ICSU.L?

GSPX.L is categorized as S&P 500, while ICSU.L is Consumer Staples Equities. GSPX.L tracks S&P 500 Index, while ICSU.L tracks S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Consumer Staples Index. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for GSPX.L and 0.15% for ICSU.L.