KSA vs. SLV
KSA (iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF) and SLV (iShares Silver Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - KSA is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the MSCI Saudi Arabia Investable Market Index (IMI) 25/50 Index, while SLV is a Silver fund tracking the LBMA Silver Price. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, KSA returned 7.27%/yr vs 10.58%/yr for SLV. At a 0.18 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. KSA charges 0.74%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for SLV.
Performance
KSA vs. SLV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KSA achieves a 3.48% return, which is significantly higher than SLV's -19.03% return. Over the past 10 years, KSA has underperformed SLV with an annualized return of 7.27%, while SLV has yielded a comparatively higher 10.58% annualized return.
KSA
- 1D
- -0.38%
- 1M
- -4.32%
- 6M
- -0.38%
- YTD
- 3.48%
- 1Y
- -1.95%
- 3Y*
- -1.39%
- 5Y*
- 1.62%
- 10Y*
- 7.27%
SLV
- 1D
- -3.32%
- 1M
- -14.90%
- 6M
- -32.46%
- YTD
- -19.03%
- 1Y
- 48.90%
- 3Y*
- 31.65%
- 5Y*
- 16.48%
- 10Y*
- 10.58%
KSA vs. SLV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KSA iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF | 3.48% | -8.20% | -0.19% | 15.05% | -6.06% | 33.62% | 2.65% | 9.30% | 13.07% | 6.14% |
SLV iShares Silver Trust | -19.03% | 144.66% | 20.89% | -1.09% | 2.37% | -12.45% | 47.30% | 14.88% | -9.19% | 5.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between KSA and SLV is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 17, 2015 | 0.18 |
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Return for Risk
KSA vs. SLV — Risk / Return Rank
KSA
SLV
KSA vs. SLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) and iShares Silver Trust (SLV). 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.
| KSA | SLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.32 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.99 | 1.20 | -0.21 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.17 | 0.96 | -1.13 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.37 | 1.99 | -2.36 |
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Drawdowns
KSA vs. SLV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KSA drawdown since its inception was -40.56%, smaller than the maximum SLV drawdown of -76.28%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KSA and SLV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| KSA | SLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.56% | -76.28% | +35.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.62% | -50.97% | +39.35% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.56% | -50.97% | +35.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.08% | -50.97% | +22.89% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.56% | -50.97% | +10.41% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -17.87% | -50.61% | +32.74% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.48% | -44.67% | +33.19% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.40% | 24.60% | -19.20% |
Volatility
KSA vs. SLV - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) is 3.20%, while iShares Silver Trust (SLV) has a volatility of 14.50%. This indicates that KSA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| KSA | SLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.20% | 14.50% | -11.30% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.90% | 57.45% | -45.55% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.43% | 61.10% | -44.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.96% | 36.85% | -20.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.99% | 32.17% | -12.18% |
KSA vs. SLV - Expense Ratio Comparison
KSA has a 0.74% expense ratio, which is higher than SLV's 0.50% expense ratio.
Dividends
KSA vs. SLV - Dividend Comparison
KSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.78%, while SLV has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KSA iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF | 2.78% | 2.95% | 3.44% | 2.44% | 1.93% | 1.58% | 1.76% | 2.15% | 2.51% | 2.30% | 3.05% | 0.04% |
SLV iShares Silver Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
KSA and SLV have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SLV has higher volatility (14.50%) compared to KSA (3.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KSA dropped -40.56% vs SLV's -76.28%.
On 10-year performance, SLV leads with 10.58% vs 7.27% for KSA. On fees, SLV is cheaper at 0.50% per year. On volatility, KSA has been the lower-risk option at 3.20%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SLV has performed better with a 10.58% return vs 7.27%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SLV is cheaper with a 0.50% expense ratio, compared with 0.74% for KSA.
KSA has the higher dividend yield at 2.78%, compared with 0.00% for SLV.
KSA is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while SLV is Silver. KSA tracks MSCI Saudi Arabia Investable Market Index (IMI) 25/50 Index, while SLV tracks LBMA Silver Price. Their fees differ too: 0.74% for KSA and 0.50% for SLV.
SLV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.81 vs -0.12), 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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