MASKX vs. ^GSPC

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund (MASKX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC).

MASKX is managed by BlackRock. It was launched on Apr 9, 1997.

Performance

MASKX vs. ^GSPC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund (MASKX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

MASKX vs. ^GSPC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MASKX iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund	-2.51%	12.76%	11.35%	16.99%	-20.39%	14.54%	19.99%	25.54%	-11.03%	14.61%
^GSPC S&P 500 Index	-4.63%	16.39%	23.31%	24.23%	-19.44%	26.89%	16.26%	28.88%	-6.24%	19.42%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MASKX achieves a -2.51% return, which is significantly higher than ^GSPC's -4.63% return. Over the past 10 years, MASKX has underperformed ^GSPC with an annualized return of 9.43%, while ^GSPC has yielded a comparatively higher 12.16% annualized return.

MASKX

• 1D: -1.48%
• 1M: -8.19%
• YTD: -2.51%
• 6M: -0.38%
• 1Y: 21.43%
• 3Y*: 11.69%
• 5Y*: 3.00%
• 10Y*: 9.43%

^GSPC

• 1D: 2.91%
• 1M: -5.09%
• YTD: -4.63%
• 6M: -2.39%
• 1Y: 16.33%
• 3Y*: 16.69%
• 5Y*: 10.18%
• 10Y*: 12.16%

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

Return for Risk

MASKX vs. ^GSPC — Risk / Return Rank

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

MASKX

MASKX Risk / Return Rank: 49
MASKX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
MASKX Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
MASKX Omega Ratio Rank: 40
MASKX Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
MASKX Martin Ratio Rank: 51

^GSPC

^GSPC Risk / Return Rank: 74
^GSPC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 69
^GSPC Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
^GSPC Omega Ratio Rank: 76
^GSPC Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
^GSPC Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

MASKX vs. ^GSPC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund (MASKX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). 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.

	MASKX	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.91	0.90	+0.01
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.40	1.39	+0.01
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.21	-0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.32	1.40	-0.08
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.00	6.61	-1.61
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MASKX vs. ^GSPC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MASKX Sharpe Ratio is 0.91, which is comparable to the ^GSPC Sharpe Ratio of 0.90. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MASKX and ^GSPC, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	MASKX	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.91	0.90	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13	0.61	-0.48
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.40	0.68	-0.28
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.34	0.46	-0.12

Correlation

The correlation between MASKX and ^GSPC is 0.83, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Drawdowns

MASKX vs. ^GSPC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MASKX drawdown since its inception was -59.06%, roughly equal to the maximum ^GSPC drawdown of -56.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MASKX and ^GSPC.

Drawdown Indicators

	MASKX	^GSPC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.06%	-56.78%	-2.28%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.89%	-12.14%	-1.75%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.98%	-25.43%	-6.55%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-41.68%	-33.92%	-7.76%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-11.01%	-6.45%	-4.56%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.69%	-10.75%	-0.94%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.68%	2.57%	+1.11%

Volatility

MASKX vs. ^GSPC - Volatility Comparison

iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund (MASKX) has a higher volatility of 6.63% compared to S&P 500 Index (^GSPC) at 5.34%. This indicates that MASKX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ^GSPC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MASKX	^GSPC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.63%	5.34%	+1.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.09%	9.54%	+4.55%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	23.10%	18.33%	+4.77%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.14%	16.91%	+6.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.63%	18.05%	+5.58%