IWRD.L vs. GLD
IWRD.L (iShares MSCI World UCITS) and GLD (SPDR Gold Shares) are both exchange-traded funds - IWRD.L is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI ACWI NR USD, while GLD is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IWRD.L returned 12.32%/yr vs 11.00%/yr for GLD. At a 0.07 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IWRD.L charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for GLD.
Performance
IWRD.L vs. GLD - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
IWRD.L is traded in GBp, while GLD is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the GLD values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IWRD.L achieves a 9.97% return, which is significantly higher than GLD's -6.97% return. Over the past 10 years, IWRD.L has outperformed GLD with an annualized return of 12.32%, while GLD has yielded a comparatively lower 11.00% annualized return.
IWRD.L
- 1D
- 0.65%
- 1M
- -0.91%
- 6M
- 9.57%
- YTD
- 9.97%
- 1Y
- 20.53%
- 3Y*
- 16.49%
- 5Y*
- 11.68%
- 10Y*
- 12.32%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.27%
GLD
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -6.63%
- 6M
- -15.88%
- YTD
- -6.97%
- 1Y
- 17.90%
- 3Y*
- 24.52%
- 5Y*
- 17.37%
- 10Y*
- 11.00%
- ALL TIME*
- 11.94%
IWRD.L vs. GLD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWRD.L iShares MSCI World UCITS | 9.97% | 12.34% | 20.62% | 17.33% | -8.62% | 23.21% | 11.80% | 22.77% | -4.02% | 11.65% |
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | -4.80% | 52.02% | 28.87% | 7.06% | 11.03% | -3.24% | 21.15% | 13.37% | 3.87% | 3.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between IWRD.L and GLD is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 27, 2007 | 0.07 |
The correlation between IWRD.L and GLD shifts across timeframes, from 0.04 (5 years) to 0.19 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IWRD.L vs. GLD — Risk / Return Rank
IWRD.L
GLD
IWRD.L vs. GLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI World UCITS (IWRD.L) and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). 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.
| IWRD.L | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.25 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.68 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.15 | +0.21 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.11 | 0.69 | +2.42 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.95 | 1.69 | +10.26 |
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Drawdowns
IWRD.L vs. GLD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IWRD.L drawdown since its inception was -66.71%, which is greater than GLD's maximum drawdown of -41.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IWRD.L and GLD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IWRD.L | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.71% | -41.89% | -24.82% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.57% | -25.91% | +19.34% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.93% | -25.91% | +6.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.93% | -25.91% | +6.98% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -25.30% | -25.91% | +0.61% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.91% | -25.14% | +24.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.25% | -13.37% | -3.88% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.71% | 10.64% | -8.93% |
Volatility
IWRD.L vs. GLD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI World UCITS (IWRD.L) is 2.78%, while SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has a volatility of 5.69%. This indicates that IWRD.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IWRD.L | GLD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.78% | 5.69% | -2.91% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.69% | 22.59% | -14.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.57% | 26.37% | -15.80% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.30% | 17.10% | -3.80% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.44% | 15.47% | -1.03% |
IWRD.L vs. GLD - Expense Ratio Comparison
IWRD.L has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than GLD's 0.40% expense ratio.
Dividends
IWRD.L vs. GLD - Dividend Comparison
IWRD.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.88%, while GLD has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLD SPDR Gold Shares | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
IWRD.L iShares MSCI World UCITS | 0.88% | 0.93% | 1.06% | 1.31% | 1.44% | 1.03% | 1.21% | 1.66% | 1.81% | 1.64% | 1.61% | 1.78% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IWRD.L and GLD have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, GLD is cheaper at 0.40% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
GLD is cheaper with a 0.40% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for IWRD.L.
IWRD.L is categorized as Global Equities, while GLD is Gold. IWRD.L tracks MSCI ACWI NR USD, while GLD tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for IWRD.L and 0.40% for GLD.
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