JDST vs. IAU
JDST (Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares) and IAU (iShares Gold Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - JDST is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index (-300%), while IAU is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, JDST returned -60.31%/yr vs 11.37%/yr for IAU. At a correlation of -0.75, they often move in opposite directions. JDST charges 1.10%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for IAU.
Performance
JDST vs. IAU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, JDST achieves a -15.75% return, which is significantly lower than IAU's -7.29% return. Over the past 10 years, JDST has underperformed IAU with an annualized return of -60.31%, while IAU has yielded a comparatively higher 11.37% annualized return.
JDST
- 1D
- 7.16%
- 1M
- 12.73%
- 6M
- 5.01%
- YTD
- -15.75%
- 1Y
- -75.99%
- 3Y*
- -65.43%
- 5Y*
- -52.35%
- 10Y*
- -60.31%
IAU
- 1D
- -2.60%
- 1M
- -4.98%
- 6M
- -13.00%
- YTD
- -7.29%
- 1Y
- 18.88%
- 3Y*
- 26.67%
- 5Y*
- 16.68%
- 10Y*
- 11.37%
JDST vs. IAU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JDST Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares | -15.75% | -91.10% | -40.98% | -28.29% | -26.25% | 10.97% | -95.97% | -80.30% | -1.60% | -63.44% |
IAU iShares Gold Trust | -7.29% | 63.95% | 26.85% | 12.84% | -0.63% | -4.00% | 25.03% | 17.98% | -1.76% | 12.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between JDST and IAU is -0.81, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.81 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.80 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.79 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.76 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 3, 2013 | -0.75 |
The correlation between JDST and IAU has been stable across timeframes, ranging from -0.81 to -0.75 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
JDST vs. IAU — Risk / Return Rank
JDST
IAU
JDST vs. IAU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares (JDST) and iShares Gold Trust (IAU). 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.
| JDST | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.41 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.25 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.87 | 1.15 | -0.28 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.86 | 0.72 | -1.58 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.08 | 1.77 | -2.85 |
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Drawdowns
JDST vs. IAU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum JDST drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, which is greater than IAU's maximum drawdown of -45.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JDST and IAU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| JDST | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -45.14% | -54.86% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -88.98% | -26.17% | -62.81% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -98.58% | -26.17% | -72.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -99.28% | -26.17% | -73.11% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -100.00% | -26.17% | -73.83% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | -25.91% | -74.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -95.33% | -16.00% | -79.33% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 70.33% | 10.66% | +59.67% |
Volatility
JDST vs. IAU - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares (JDST) has a higher volatility of 34.78% compared to iShares Gold Trust (IAU) at 7.54%. This indicates that JDST's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| JDST | IAU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 34.78% | 7.54% | +27.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 86.06% | 24.02% | +62.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 105.38% | 27.75% | +77.63% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 82.47% | 18.33% | +64.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 104.51% | 16.04% | +88.47% |
JDST vs. IAU - Expense Ratio Comparison
JDST has a 1.10% expense ratio, which is higher than IAU's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
JDST vs. IAU - Dividend Comparison
JDST's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.76%, while IAU has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAU iShares Gold Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
JDST Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 2X Shares | 5.76% | 15.08% | 6.50% | 4.81% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 11.75% | 3.16% | 0.57% |
Frequently Asked Questions
JDST and IAU have a correlation of -0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
JDST has higher volatility (34.78%) compared to IAU (7.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JDST dropped -100.00% vs IAU's -45.14%.
On 10-year performance, IAU leads with 11.37% vs -60.31% for JDST. On fees, IAU is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, IAU has been the lower-risk option at 7.54%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IAU has performed better with a 11.37% return vs -60.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAU is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 1.10% for JDST.
JDST has the higher dividend yield at 5.76%, compared with 0.00% for IAU.
JDST is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while IAU is Gold. JDST tracks MVIS Global Junior Gold Miners Index (-300%), while IAU tracks LBMA Gold Price. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and iShares. Their fees differ too: 1.10% for JDST and 0.25% for IAU.
IAU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.68 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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