MCH vs. IAK
MCH (Matthews China Active ETF) and IAK (iShares U.S. Insurance ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - MCH is a China Equities fund actively managed by Matthews, while IAK is a Financials Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Insurance Index. MCH is actively managed, while IAK is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, MCH returned 8.50%/yr vs 19.72%/yr for IAK. Their 0.04 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. MCH charges 0.79%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for IAK.
Performance
MCH vs. IAK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MCH achieves a -0.66% return, which is significantly lower than IAK's 10.07% return.
MCH
- 1D
- 0.90%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- 6M
- -4.79%
- YTD
- -0.66%
- 1Y
- 12.31%
- 3Y*
- 8.50%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 4.00%
IAK
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- -0.06%
- 6M
- 12.67%
- YTD
- 10.07%
- 1Y
- 19.63%
- 3Y*
- 19.72%
- 5Y*
- 15.95%
- 10Y*
- 13.45%
- ALL TIME*
- 7.39%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $14.76M | $20.90M | $11.89M | |
| $75.29K | $45.62K | $82.14K |
MCH vs. IAK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MCH Matthews China Active ETF | -0.66% | 30.20% | 17.32% | -19.91% | -3.57% |
IAK iShares U.S. Insurance ETF | 10.07% | 9.50% | 28.25% | 11.28% | 13.15% |
Correlation
The correlation between MCH and IAK is -0.18, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | -0.18 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | -0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 14, 2022 | 0.04 |
The correlation between MCH and IAK shifts across timeframes, from -0.18 (1 year) to 0.04 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
MCH vs. IAK - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
MCH
IAK
Financial Services
Consumer Cyclical
-
Technology
-
Communication Services
-
Industrials
-
Basic Materials
-
Healthcare
Real Estate
-
Energy
-
Consumer Defensive
-
Utilities
-
-
Financial Services
MCH
IAK
Consumer Cyclical
MCH
IAK
-
Technology
MCH
IAK
-
Communication Services
MCH
IAK
-
Industrials
MCH
IAK
-
Basic Materials
MCH
IAK
-
Healthcare
MCH
IAK
Real Estate
MCH
IAK
-
Energy
MCH
IAK
-
Consumer Defensive
MCH
IAK
-
Utilities
MCH
-
IAK
-
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Return for Risk
MCH vs. IAK — Risk / Return Rank
MCH
IAK
MCH vs. IAK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Matthews China Active ETF (MCH) and iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK). 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.
| MCH | IAK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.69 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.21 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.70 | 2.45 | -1.75 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.70 | 5.96 | -4.26 |
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Drawdowns
MCH vs. IAK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MCH drawdown since its inception was -40.53%, smaller than the maximum IAK drawdown of -77.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MCH and IAK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MCH | IAK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.53% | -77.38% | +36.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.05% | -7.62% | -7.43% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -30.57% | -11.58% | -18.99% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -14.76% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -44.95% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.72% | -3.23% | -4.49% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.01% | -16.01% | -2.00% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.18% | 3.13% | +3.05% |
Volatility
MCH vs. IAK - Volatility Comparison
Matthews China Active ETF (MCH) has a higher volatility of 8.34% compared to iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK) at 7.03%. This indicates that MCH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IAK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MCH | IAK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.34% | 7.03% | +1.31% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.73% | 12.43% | +4.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.03% | 16.00% | +6.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.41% | 18.13% | +11.28% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.41% | 20.92% | +8.49% |
MCH vs. IAK - Expense Ratio Comparison
MCH has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than IAK's 0.38% expense ratio.
Dividends
MCH vs. IAK - Dividend Comparison
MCH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.77%, less than IAK's 2.43% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IAK iShares U.S. Insurance ETF | 2.43% | 1.69% | 1.49% | 1.44% | 1.69% | 2.26% | 2.07% | 1.84% | 2.33% | 1.62% | 1.68% | 1.62% |
MCH Matthews China Active ETF | 1.77% | 1.76% | 1.31% | 1.62% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MCH and IAK have a correlation of -0.18, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MCH has higher volatility (8.34%) compared to IAK (7.03%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MCH dropped -40.53% vs IAK's -77.38%.
On 3-year performance, IAK leads with 19.72% vs 8.50% for MCH. On fees, IAK is cheaper at 0.38% per year. On volatility, IAK has been the lower-risk option at 7.03%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, IAK has performed better with a 19.72% return vs 8.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IAK is cheaper with a 0.38% expense ratio, compared with 0.79% for MCH.
IAK has the higher dividend yield at 2.43%, compared with 1.77% for MCH.
MCH is categorized as China Equities, while IAK is Financials Equities. They also come from different issuers: Matthews and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.79% for MCH and 0.38% for IAK.
IAK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.17 vs 0.48), 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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