IGLS.L vs. XBI
IGLS.L (iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist)) and XBI (SPDR S&P Biotech ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IGLS.L is a European Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP, while XBI is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IGLS.L returned 0.91%/yr vs 10.11%/yr for XBI. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. IGLS.L charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for XBI.
Performance
IGLS.L vs. XBI - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
IGLS.L is traded in GBP, while XBI is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the XBI values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IGLS.L achieves a 0.53% return, which is significantly lower than XBI's 10.29% return. Over the past 10 years, IGLS.L has underperformed XBI with an annualized return of 0.91%, while XBI has yielded a comparatively higher 10.11% annualized return.
IGLS.L
- 1D
- 0.21%
- 1M
- 0.68%
- YTD
- 0.53%
- 6M
- 1.02%
- 1Y
- 3.13%
- 3Y*
- 4.62%
- 5Y*
- 1.36%
- 10Y*
- 0.91%
XBI
- 1D
- 0.88%
- 1M
- 1.75%
- YTD
- 10.29%
- 6M
- 8.75%
- 1Y
- 62.63%
- 3Y*
- 11.93%
- 5Y*
- 0.84%
- 10Y*
- 10.11%
IGLS.L vs. XBI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGLS.L iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist) | 0.53% | 5.26% | 2.65% | 4.19% | -4.44% | -1.68% | 1.48% | 1.05% | 0.14% | -0.38% |
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF | 10.29% | 26.21% | 2.77% | 2.22% | -17.05% | -19.70% | 43.97% | 27.52% | -10.25% | 31.34% |
Correlation
The correlation between IGLS.L and XBI is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 17, 2009 | -0.03 |
The correlation between IGLS.L and XBI shifts across timeframes, from -0.03 (all time) to 0.17 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IGLS.L vs. XBI — Risk / Return Rank
IGLS.L
XBI
IGLS.L vs. XBI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist) (IGLS.L) and SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI). 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.
| IGLS.L | XBI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.00 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.23 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.41 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.52 | 7.26 | -5.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.12 | 19.76 | -14.64 |
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Drawdowns
IGLS.L vs. XBI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IGLS.L drawdown since its inception was -9.54%, smaller than the maximum XBI drawdown of -59.49%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IGLS.L and XBI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IGLS.L | XBI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.54% | -59.49% | +49.95% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.95% | -8.55% | +6.60% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.95% | -32.52% | +30.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -8.85% | -49.04% | +40.19% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.54% | -59.49% | +49.95% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.38% | -20.73% | +20.35% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.19% | -18.45% | +17.26% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.58% | 3.14% | -2.56% |
Volatility
IGLS.L vs. XBI - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist) (IGLS.L) is 0.66%, while SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) has a volatility of 10.04%. This indicates that IGLS.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XBI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IGLS.L | XBI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.66% | 10.04% | -9.38% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.76% | 19.68% | -17.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.99% | 24.95% | -22.96% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.67% | 30.89% | -28.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.18% | 31.59% | -29.41% |
IGLS.L vs. XBI - Expense Ratio Comparison
IGLS.L has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than XBI's 0.35% expense ratio.
Dividends
IGLS.L vs. XBI - Dividend Comparison
IGLS.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.97%, more than XBI's 0.33% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGLS.L iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist) | 3.97% | 3.88% | 3.67% | 1.62% | 0.30% | 0.25% | 0.53% | 0.46% | 0.33% | 0.53% | 0.88% | 0.48% |
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF | 0.33% | 0.37% | 0.15% | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.20% | 0.00% | 0.28% | 0.24% | 0.26% | 0.61% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IGLS.L and XBI have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, IGLS.L is cheaper at 0.07% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
IGLS.L is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for XBI.
IGLS.L is categorized as European Government Bonds, while XBI is Health & Biotech Equities. IGLS.L tracks FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP, while XBI tracks S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for IGLS.L and 0.35% for XBI.
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