HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

HCAL.TO (Hamilton Enhanced Canadian Bank ETF) and QQQL.TO (Global X Enhanced Nasdaq-100 Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - HCAL.TO is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Solactive Equal Weight Canada Banks Index (125%), while QQQL.TO is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, HCAL.TO returned 78.37% vs 56.27% for QQQL.TO. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. HCAL.TO charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for QQQL.TO.

Performance

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Hamilton Enhanced Canadian Bank ETF (HCAL.TO) and Global X Enhanced Nasdaq-100 Index ETF (QQQL.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, HCAL.TO achieves a 24.08% return, which is significantly lower than QQQL.TO's 27.90% return.

HCAL.TO

• 1D: 2.28%
• 1M: 5.54%
• YTD: 24.08%
• 6M: 31.04%
• 1Y: 78.37%
• 3Y*: 39.82%
• 5Y*: 20.80%
• 10Y*: —

QQQL.TO

• 1D: 0.19%
• 1M: 15.99%
• YTD: 27.90%
• 6M: 24.31%
• 1Y: 56.27%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
HCAL.TO Hamilton Enhanced Canadian Bank ETF	24.08%	54.09%	23.05%
QQQL.TO Global X Enhanced Nasdaq-100 Index ETF	27.90%	16.16%	24.06%

Correlation

The correlation between HCAL.TO and QQQL.TO is 0.26, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.26
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 23, 2024	0.28

Return for Risk

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

HCAL.TO

HCAL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 96
HCAL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
HCAL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
HCAL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 97
HCAL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
HCAL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 95

QQQL.TO

QQQL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 83
QQQL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
QQQL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
QQQL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 94
QQQL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
QQQL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 63

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.

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Hamilton Enhanced Canadian Bank ETF (HCAL.TO) and Global X Enhanced Nasdaq-100 Index ETF (QQQL.TO). 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.

	HCAL.TO	QQQL.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	4.98	2.99	+1.99
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	6.45	3.96	+2.49
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.90	1.69	+0.21
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	7.32	4.41	+2.92
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	31.93	11.65	+20.28
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HCAL.TO Sharpe Ratio is 4.98, which is higher than the QQQL.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HCAL.TO and QQQL.TO, 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

	HCAL.TO	QQQL.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.98	2.99	+1.99
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.22	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.65	1.37	+0.28

Drawdowns

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HCAL.TO drawdown since its inception was -35.05%, which is greater than QQQL.TO's maximum drawdown of -27.82%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HCAL.TO and QQQL.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	HCAL.TO	QQQL.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.05%	-27.82%	-7.23%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.65%	-12.69%	+2.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.77%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.05%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.00%	0.00%	-2.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.63%	-4.89%	-4.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.44%	4.80%	-2.36%

Volatility

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO - Volatility Comparison

Hamilton Enhanced Canadian Bank ETF (HCAL.TO) has a higher volatility of 6.30% compared to Global X Enhanced Nasdaq-100 Index ETF (QQQL.TO) at 5.63%. This indicates that HCAL.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QQQL.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	HCAL.TO	QQQL.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.30%	5.63%	+0.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.13%	13.85%	+0.28%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.82%	18.89%	-3.07%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.16%	25.74%	-8.58%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.01%	25.74%	-8.73%

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

HCAL.TO has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than QQQL.TO's 0.49% expense ratio.

Dividends

HCAL.TO vs. QQQL.TO - Dividend Comparison

HCAL.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.47%, while QQQL.TO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
HCAL.TO Hamilton Enhanced Canadian Bank ETF	3.47%	4.20%	6.12%	7.37%	7.47%	4.99%	3.14%
QQQL.TO Global X Enhanced Nasdaq-100 Index ETF	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both HCAL.TO and QQQL.TO in my portfolio?

HCAL.TO and QQQL.TO have a correlation of 0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, HCAL.TO or QQQL.TO?

On fees, QQQL.TO is cheaper at 0.49% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, HCAL.TO or QQQL.TO?

QQQL.TO is cheaper with a 0.49% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for HCAL.TO.

What is the main difference between HCAL.TO and QQQL.TO?

HCAL.TO is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while QQQL.TO is Nasdaq-100. HCAL.TO tracks Solactive Equal Weight Canada Banks Index (125%), while QQQL.TO tracks NASDAQ-100 Index. They also come from different issuers: Hamilton Capital and Global X. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for HCAL.TO and 0.49% for QQQL.TO.