KORU vs. OILU

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

KORU (Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares) and OILU (MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 3X Leveraged ETN) are both exchange-traded funds - KORU is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the MSCI Korea 25-50 Index, while OILU is a Leveraged Commodities fund managed by BMO. Over the past 3 years, KORU returned 98.37%/yr vs 6.45%/yr for OILU. At a 0.22 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. KORU charges 1.29%/yr vs 0.95%/yr for OILU.

Performance

KORU vs. OILU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) and MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 3X Leveraged ETN (OILU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KORU achieves a 354.34% return, which is significantly higher than OILU's 80.85% return.

KORU

• 1D: -2.03%
• 1M: -7.72%
• YTD: 354.34%
• 6M: 454.07%
• 1Y: 1,103.22%
• 3Y*: 98.37%
• 5Y*: 15.47%
• 10Y*: 15.99%

OILU

• 1D: 2.31%
• 1M: -5.32%
• YTD: 80.85%
• 6M: 71.72%
• 1Y: 79.06%
• 3Y*: 6.45%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

KORU vs. OILU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
KORU Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares	354.34%	432.73%	-62.18%	28.61%	-70.16%	-3.07%
OILU MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 3X Leveraged ETN	80.85%	-16.50%	-21.65%	-32.50%	151.08%	-16.79%

Correlation

The correlation between KORU and OILU is 0.01, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.01
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 9, 2021	0.22

Over the past year, the correlation between KORU and OILU has dropped to 0.01 - well below their long-term average of 0.22, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

KORU vs. OILU - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	KORU	OILU
Technology	52.3%	-
Industrials	20.4%	-
Financial Services	9.5%	-
Consumer Cyclical	5.8%	-
Healthcare	3.5%	-
Communication Services	2.9%	-
Basic Materials	2.0%	-
Consumer Defensive	1.8%	-
Energy	1.4%	100.0%
Utilities	0.4%	-
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

KORU vs. OILU — Risk / Return Rank

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

KORU

KORU Risk / Return Rank: 96
KORU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
KORU Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
KORU Omega Ratio Rank: 93
KORU Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
KORU Martin Ratio Rank: 98

OILU

OILU Risk / Return Rank: 42
OILU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
OILU Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
OILU Omega Ratio Rank: 36
OILU Calmar Ratio Rank: 54
OILU Martin Ratio Rank: 40

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.

KORU vs. OILU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) and MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 3X Leveraged ETN (OILU). 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.

	KORU	OILU	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	8.14	1.27	+6.87
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.97	1.78	+2.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.57	1.22	+0.36
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	18.17	2.37	+15.79
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	54.29	5.62	+48.67

KORU vs. OILU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current KORU Sharpe Ratio is 8.14, which is higher than the OILU Sharpe Ratio of 1.27. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of KORU and OILU, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

KORU vs. OILU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KORU drawdown since its inception was -95.79%, which is greater than OILU's maximum drawdown of -81.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KORU and OILU.

Drawdown Indicators

	KORU	OILU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-95.79%	-81.00%	-14.79%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-61.39%	-33.51%	-27.88%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-73.34%	-69.09%	-4.25%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-93.34%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-95.79%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-34.79%	-51.36%	+16.57%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-57.47%	-50.54%	-6.93%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	20.50%	14.12%	+6.38%

Volatility

KORU vs. OILU - Volatility Comparison

Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares (KORU) has a higher volatility of 79.83% compared to MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 3X Leveraged ETN (OILU) at 21.88%. This indicates that KORU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than OILU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	KORU	OILU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	79.83%	21.88%	+57.95%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	128.97%	50.72%	+78.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	137.05%	62.50%	+74.55%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	88.96%	81.07%	+7.89%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	81.96%	81.07%	+0.89%

KORU vs. OILU - Expense Ratio Comparison

KORU has a 1.29% expense ratio, which is higher than OILU's 0.95% expense ratio.

Dividends

KORU vs. OILU - Dividend Comparison

KORU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.20%, while OILU has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
KORU Direxion Daily South Korea Bull 3X Shares	0.20%	0.89%	4.10%	2.55%	0.48%	0.76%	0.01%	0.93%	1.40%	3.59%
OILU MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 3X Leveraged ETN	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both KORU and OILU in my portfolio?

KORU and OILU have a correlation of 0.01, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, KORU or OILU?

KORU has higher volatility (79.83%) compared to OILU (21.88%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KORU dropped -95.79% vs OILU's -81.00%.

Which ETF is better, KORU or OILU?

On 3-year performance, KORU leads with 98.37% vs 6.45% for OILU. On fees, OILU is cheaper at 0.95% per year. On volatility, OILU has been the lower-risk option at 21.88%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, KORU or OILU?

Over the 3-year period, KORU has performed better with a 98.37% return vs 6.45%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, KORU or OILU?

OILU is cheaper with a 0.95% expense ratio, compared with 1.29% for KORU.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, KORU or OILU?

KORU has the higher dividend yield at 0.20%, compared with 0.00% for OILU.

What is the main difference between KORU and OILU?

KORU is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while OILU is Leveraged Commodities. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and BMO. Their fees differ too: 1.29% for KORU and 0.95% for OILU.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

KORU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (8.14 vs 1.27), 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.