HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

HEAW.L (SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF) and ACWI.L (SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - HEAW.L is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Health Care NR USD, while ACWI.L is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI ACWI NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, HEAW.L returned 2.71%/yr vs 18.14%/yr for ACWI.L. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. HEAW.L charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for ACWI.L.

Performance

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.L) and SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, HEAW.L achieves a -2.73% return, which is significantly lower than ACWI.L's 11.83% return.

HEAW.L

• 1D: 3.01%
• 1M: 4.33%
• YTD: -2.73%
• 6M: -2.25%
• 1Y: 12.68%
• 3Y*: 2.71%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

ACWI.L

• 1D: -0.04%
• 1M: 5.29%
• YTD: 11.83%
• 6M: 12.33%
• 1Y: 30.27%
• 3Y*: 18.14%
• 5Y*: 12.52%
• 10Y*: 13.49%

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

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
HEAW.L SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF	-2.73%	7.46%	2.52%	-2.05%	5.82%
ACWI.L SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF	11.83%	14.32%	19.66%	15.59%	-6.87%

Correlation

The correlation between HEAW.L and ACWI.L is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.31
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.44
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 5, 2022	0.51

The correlation between HEAW.L and ACWI.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.31 (1 year) to 0.51 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

HEAW.L

HEAW.L Risk / Return Rank: 25
HEAW.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 27
HEAW.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
HEAW.L Omega Ratio Rank: 25
HEAW.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
HEAW.L Martin Ratio Rank: 24

ACWI.L

ACWI.L Risk / Return Rank: 86
ACWI.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
ACWI.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
ACWI.L Omega Ratio Rank: 89
ACWI.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
ACWI.L Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.L) and SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.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.

	HEAW.L	ACWI.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.92	2.89	-1.97
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.45	3.99	-2.54
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.17	1.55	-0.39
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.18	4.28	-3.10
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.10	17.31	-14.21
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HEAW.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.92, which is lower than the ACWI.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.89. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HEAW.L and ACWI.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

	HEAW.L	ACWI.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.92	2.89	-1.97
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.96	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.94	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.20	0.81	-0.61

Drawdowns

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HEAW.L drawdown since its inception was -18.85%, smaller than the maximum ACWI.L drawdown of -25.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HEAW.L and ACWI.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	HEAW.L	ACWI.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.85%	-25.44%	+6.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.71%	-7.05%	-3.66%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.85%	-18.07%	-0.78%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-18.07%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-25.44%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.00%	-0.41%	-5.59%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.60%	-3.67%	-1.93%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.08%	1.74%	+2.34%

Volatility

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L - Volatility Comparison

SPDR MSCI World Health Care UCITS ETF (HEAW.L) has a higher volatility of 5.19% compared to SPDR MSCI ACWI UCITS ETF (ACWI.L) at 2.90%. This indicates that HEAW.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ACWI.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	HEAW.L	ACWI.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.19%	2.90%	+2.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.96%	7.75%	+2.21%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.70%	10.42%	+3.28%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.11%	13.05%	+0.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.11%	14.39%	-1.28%

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

HEAW.L has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is lower than ACWI.L's 0.40% expense ratio.

Dividends

HEAW.L vs. ACWI.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither HEAW.L nor ACWI.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both HEAW.L and ACWI.L in my portfolio?

HEAW.L and ACWI.L have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, HEAW.L or ACWI.L?

On fees, HEAW.L is cheaper at 0.30% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, HEAW.L or ACWI.L?

HEAW.L is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for ACWI.L.

What is the main difference between HEAW.L and ACWI.L?

HEAW.L is categorized as Health & Biotech Equities, while ACWI.L is Global Equities. HEAW.L tracks MSCI World/Health Care NR USD, while ACWI.L tracks MSCI ACWI NR USD. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for HEAW.L and 0.40% for ACWI.L.