IAU vs. XDW0.L
IAU (iShares Gold Trust) and XDW0.L (Xtrackers MSCI World Energy UCITS ETF 1C) are both exchange-traded funds - IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price, while XDW0.L is a Energy Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Energy NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IAU returned 12.31%/yr vs 9.55%/yr for XDW0.L. At a 0.10 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.25% expense ratio.
Performance
IAU vs. XDW0.L - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IAU achieves a -2.44% return, which is significantly lower than XDW0.L's 28.94% return. Over the past 10 years, IAU has outperformed XDW0.L with an annualized return of 12.31%, while XDW0.L has yielded a comparatively lower 9.55% annualized return.
IAU
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -9.54%
- YTD
- -2.44%
- 6M
- -2.22%
- 1Y
- 22.32%
- 3Y*
- 29.07%
- 5Y*
- 17.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.31%
XDW0.L
- 1D
- -0.77%
- 1M
- -0.41%
- YTD
- 28.94%
- 6M
- 29.39%
- 1Y
- 36.83%
- 3Y*
- 17.23%
- 5Y*
- 18.57%
- 10Y*
- 9.55%
IAU vs. XDW0.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -2.44% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
XDW0.L Xtrackers MSCI World Energy UCITS ETF 1C | 28.94% | 14.66% | 2.11% | 3.68% | 46.28% | 39.22% | -30.39% | 10.05% | -15.00% | 4.49% |
Correlation
The correlation between IAU and XDW0.L is 0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 22, 2010 | 0.10 |
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Return for Risk
IAU vs. XDW0.L — Risk / Return Rank
IAU
XDW0.L
IAU vs. XDW0.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Gold Trust (IAU) and Xtrackers MSCI World Energy UCITS ETF 1C (XDW0.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.
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.
| IAU | XDW0.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.32 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.35 | -0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.99 | 3.19 | -2.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.83 | 10.19 | -7.35 |
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Drawdowns
IAU vs. XDW0.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IAU drawdown since its inception was -45.14%, smaller than the maximum XDW0.L drawdown of -68.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAU and XDW0.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IAU | XDW0.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -45.14% | -68.41% | +23.27% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -24.40% | -12.15% | -12.25% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.40% | -18.89% | -5.51% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.40% | -26.47% | +2.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.40% | -63.72% | +39.32% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.03% | -7.45% | -14.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.97% | -18.56% | +2.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.47% | 3.81% | +4.66% |
Volatility
IAU vs. XDW0.L - Volatility Comparison
iShares Gold Trust (IAU) has a higher volatility of 7.70% compared to Xtrackers MSCI World Energy UCITS ETF 1C (XDW0.L) at 6.01%. This indicates that IAU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XDW0.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IAU | XDW0.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.70% | 6.01% | +1.69% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.94% | 16.44% | +7.50% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.17% | 19.30% | +7.87% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.16% | 24.22% | -6.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 26.14% | -10.12% |
IAU vs. XDW0.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both IAU and XDW0.L have an expense ratio of 0.25%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
IAU vs. XDW0.L - Dividend Comparison
Neither IAU nor XDW0.L has paid dividends to shareholders.
Frequently Asked Questions
IAU and XDW0.L have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
Both ETFs have the same 0.25% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
IAU and XDW0.L have the same expense ratio: 0.25% per year.
IAU is categorized as Gold, while XDW0.L is Energy Equities. IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price, while XDW0.L tracks MSCI World/Energy NR USD. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Xtrackers.
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