IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IU5C.DE (iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and NQSE.DE (iShares NASDAQ 100 UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IU5C.DE is a Communications Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Communication Services, while NQSE.DE is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the NASDAQ-100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IU5C.DE returned 12.43%/yr vs 14.91%/yr for NQSE.DE. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. IU5C.DE charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.33%/yr for NQSE.DE.

Performance

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IU5C.DE) and iShares NASDAQ 100 UCITS ETF (NQSE.DE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IU5C.DE achieves a 3.08% return, which is significantly lower than NQSE.DE's 17.82% return.

IU5C.DE

• 1D: 1.39%
• 1M: -2.99%
• YTD: 3.08%
• 6M: 0.70%
• 1Y: 17.66%
• 3Y*: 23.65%
• 5Y*: 12.43%
• 10Y*: —

NQSE.DE

• 1D: -0.77%
• 1M: 6.66%
• YTD: 17.82%
• 6M: 17.09%
• 1Y: 35.67%
• 3Y*: 25.27%
• 5Y*: 14.91%
• 10Y*: —

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

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
IU5C.DE iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	3.08%	12.25%	46.75%	50.73%	-37.12%	31.78%	11.48%	35.88%	-11.68%
NQSE.DE iShares NASDAQ 100 UCITS ETF	17.82%	18.16%	24.07%	52.10%	-36.29%	27.37%	45.23%	35.67%	-18.02%

Correlation

The correlation between IU5C.DE and NQSE.DE is 0.46, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.46
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.58
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.68
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 28, 2018	0.71

Over the past year, the correlation between IU5C.DE and NQSE.DE has dropped to 0.46 - well below their long-term average of 0.71, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE — Risk / Return Rank

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

IU5C.DE

IU5C.DE Risk / Return Rank: 42
IU5C.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 39
IU5C.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 40
IU5C.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 35
IU5C.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
IU5C.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 48

NQSE.DE

NQSE.DE Risk / Return Rank: 66
NQSE.DE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
NQSE.DE Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
NQSE.DE Omega Ratio Rank: 66
NQSE.DE Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
NQSE.DE Martin Ratio Rank: 60

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.

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IU5C.DE) and iShares NASDAQ 100 UCITS ETF (NQSE.DE). 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.

	IU5C.DE	NQSE.DE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.35	2.28	-0.93
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.02	3.17	-1.15
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	1.39	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.32	3.08	-0.76
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.89	10.77	-2.88
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IU5C.DE Sharpe Ratio is 1.35, which is lower than the NQSE.DE Sharpe Ratio of 2.28. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IU5C.DE and NQSE.DE, 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

	IU5C.DE	NQSE.DE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.35	2.28	-0.93
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.64	0.71	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.73	0.82	-0.09

Drawdowns

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IU5C.DE drawdown since its inception was -39.23%, roughly equal to the maximum NQSE.DE drawdown of -37.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IU5C.DE and NQSE.DE.

Drawdown Indicators

	IU5C.DE	NQSE.DE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-39.23%	-37.67%	-1.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.06%	-11.87%	+3.81%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.61%	-22.40%	-1.21%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-39.23%	-37.67%	-1.56%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.21%	-0.84%	-3.37%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.63%	-8.56%	-0.07%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.37%	3.40%	-1.03%

Volatility

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares S&P 500 Communication Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IU5C.DE) is 4.12%, while iShares NASDAQ 100 UCITS ETF (NQSE.DE) has a volatility of 4.75%. This indicates that IU5C.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NQSE.DE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IU5C.DE	NQSE.DE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.12%	4.75%	-0.63%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.51%	11.99%	-2.48%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.87%	16.05%	-2.18%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.30%	20.91%	-1.61%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.91%	21.54%	-1.63%

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE - Expense Ratio Comparison

IU5C.DE has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than NQSE.DE's 0.33% expense ratio.

Dividends

IU5C.DE vs. NQSE.DE - Dividend Comparison

Neither IU5C.DE nor NQSE.DE has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IU5C.DE and NQSE.DE in my portfolio?

IU5C.DE and NQSE.DE have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, IU5C.DE or NQSE.DE?

On fees, IU5C.DE is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, IU5C.DE or NQSE.DE?

IU5C.DE is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.33% for NQSE.DE.

What is the main difference between IU5C.DE and NQSE.DE?

IU5C.DE is categorized as Communications Equities, while NQSE.DE is Nasdaq-100. IU5C.DE tracks S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Communication Services, while NQSE.DE tracks NASDAQ-100 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for IU5C.DE and 0.33% for NQSE.DE.