IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L
IGEA.L (iShares Emerging Asia Local Govt Bond UCITS ETF USD (Dist)) and XUEM.L (Xtrackers USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2D) are both Emerging Markets Bonds funds - IGEA.L tracks the BBG EM Asia Local Currency Govt Country Cap NET Index while XUEM.L tracks the JPM EMBI Global Diversified TR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IGEA.L returned -0.40%/yr vs 1.71%/yr for XUEM.L. At a 0.49 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IGEA.L charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for XUEM.L.
Performance
IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IGEA.L achieves a -5.77% return, which is significantly lower than XUEM.L's 2.49% return.
IGEA.L
- 1D
- 0.26%
- 1M
- 0.09%
- 6M
- -3.15%
- YTD
- -5.77%
- 1Y
- -6.44%
- 3Y*
- 1.08%
- 5Y*
- -0.40%
- 10Y*
- 1.10%
- ALL TIME*
- 1.07%
XUEM.L
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -0.50%
- 6M
- 2.66%
- YTD
- 2.49%
- 1Y
- 10.54%
- 3Y*
- 8.95%
- 5Y*
- 1.71%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 3.21%
IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGEA.L iShares Emerging Asia Local Govt Bond UCITS ETF USD (Dist) | -5.77% | 5.84% | 1.57% | 4.77% | -7.79% | -4.40% | 9.11% | 8.96% | 0.67% |
XUEM.L Xtrackers USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2D | 2.49% | 13.60% | 5.99% | 10.90% | -19.40% | -2.37% | 3.10% | 15.16% | 1.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between IGEA.L and XUEM.L is 0.54, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.54 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.49 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 9, 2018 | 0.49 |
The correlation between IGEA.L and XUEM.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.47 to 0.54 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L — Risk / Return Rank
IGEA.L
XUEM.L
IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Emerging Asia Local Govt Bond UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (IGEA.L) and Xtrackers USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2D (XUEM.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.
| IGEA.L | XUEM.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -3.22 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -4.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.83 | 1.43 | -0.60 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.75 | 2.77 | -3.51 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.40 | 11.66 | -13.06 |
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Drawdowns
IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IGEA.L drawdown since its inception was -21.51%, smaller than the maximum XUEM.L drawdown of -29.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IGEA.L and XUEM.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IGEA.L | XUEM.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -21.51% | -29.93% | +8.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.59% | -3.87% | -4.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -8.59% | -8.11% | -0.48% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.81% | -29.93% | +11.12% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -21.51% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.56% | -0.74% | -6.82% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.95% | -7.54% | +1.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.61% | 0.92% | +3.69% |
Volatility
IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L - Volatility Comparison
iShares Emerging Asia Local Govt Bond UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (IGEA.L) has a higher volatility of 1.02% compared to Xtrackers USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2D (XUEM.L) at 0.85%. This indicates that IGEA.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XUEM.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IGEA.L | XUEM.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.02% | 0.85% | +0.17% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.82% | 3.99% | +0.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 6.06% | 4.96% | +1.10% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.40% | 8.91% | -2.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.32% | 10.67% | -4.35% |
IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
IGEA.L has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than XUEM.L's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
IGEA.L vs. XUEM.L - Dividend Comparison
IGEA.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.77%, less than XUEM.L's 5.22% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGEA.L iShares Emerging Asia Local Govt Bond UCITS ETF USD (Dist) | 1.77% | 3.24% | 3.07% | 2.87% | 2.96% | 2.42% | 2.80% | 2.46% | 2.57% | 2.02% | 3.01% | 1.18% |
XUEM.L Xtrackers USD Emerging Markets Bond UCITS ETF 2D | 5.22% | 5.30% | 6.79% | 5.27% | 5.91% | 8.49% | 4.18% | 0.61% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IGEA.L and XUEM.L have a correlation of 0.54, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XUEM.L is cheaper at 0.25% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XUEM.L is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for IGEA.L.
IGEA.L tracks BBG EM Asia Local Currency Govt Country Cap NET Index, while XUEM.L tracks JPM EMBI Global Diversified TR USD. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for IGEA.L and 0.25% for XUEM.L.
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