IEF vs. GLTR
IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and GLTR (abrdn Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index, while GLTR is a Precious Metals fund tracking the ETFS Physical Precious Metals Basket Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IEF returned 0.59%/yr vs 12.08%/yr for GLTR. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IEF charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for GLTR.
Performance
IEF vs. GLTR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IEF achieves a -0.47% return, which is significantly higher than GLTR's -4.66% return. Over the past 10 years, IEF has underperformed GLTR with an annualized return of 0.59%, while GLTR has yielded a comparatively higher 12.08% annualized return.
IEF
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- 1.05%
- YTD
- -0.47%
- 6M
- -0.18%
- 1Y
- 3.78%
- 3Y*
- 2.86%
- 5Y*
- -1.24%
- 10Y*
- 0.59%
GLTR
- 1D
- 0.30%
- 1M
- -9.08%
- YTD
- -4.66%
- 6M
- 0.76%
- 1Y
- 38.86%
- 3Y*
- 29.97%
- 5Y*
- 14.04%
- 10Y*
- 12.08%
IEF vs. GLTR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.47% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
GLTR abrdn Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF | -4.66% | 87.25% | 20.63% | 2.01% | -0.25% | -9.60% | 29.52% | 20.96% | -2.85% | 12.94% |
Correlation
The correlation between IEF and GLTR is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 22, 2010 | 0.20 |
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Return for Risk
IEF vs. GLTR — Risk / Return Rank
IEF
GLTR
IEF vs. GLTR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) and abrdn Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF (GLTR). 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.
| IEF | GLTR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.32 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.28 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.22 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.84 | 1.17 | -0.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.35 | 2.88 | -0.53 |
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Drawdowns
IEF vs. GLTR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IEF drawdown since its inception was -23.93%, smaller than the maximum GLTR drawdown of -55.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEF and GLTR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IEF | GLTR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -23.93% | -55.70% | +31.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.07% | -34.09% | +30.02% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -7.74% | -34.09% | +26.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.40% | -34.09% | +12.69% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -23.93% | -34.09% | +10.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.18% | -31.27% | +20.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.35% | -28.82% | +23.47% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.45% | 13.86% | -12.41% |
Volatility
IEF vs. GLTR - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) is 1.62%, while abrdn Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF (GLTR) has a volatility of 10.43%. This indicates that IEF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLTR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IEF | GLTR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.62% | 10.43% | -8.81% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.42% | 36.24% | -32.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.72% | 38.40% | -33.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.71% | 23.87% | -16.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.63% | 20.64% | -14.01% |
IEF vs. GLTR - Expense Ratio Comparison
IEF has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than GLTR's 0.60% expense ratio.
Dividends
IEF vs. GLTR - Dividend Comparison
IEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.89%, while GLTR has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLTR abrdn Physical Precious Metals Basket Shares ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.89% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IEF and GLTR have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GLTR has higher volatility (10.43%) compared to IEF (1.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEF dropped -23.93% vs GLTR's -55.70%.
On 10-year performance, GLTR leads with 12.08% vs 0.59% for IEF. On fees, IEF is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, IEF has been the lower-risk option at 1.62%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, GLTR has performed better with a 12.08% return vs 0.59%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IEF is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for GLTR.
IEF has the higher dividend yield at 3.89%, compared with 0.00% for GLTR.
IEF is categorized as Government Bonds, while GLTR is Precious Metals. IEF tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index, while GLTR tracks ETFS Physical Precious Metals Basket Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and abrdn. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for IEF and 0.60% for GLTR.
GLTR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.04 vs 0.72), 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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