MEAR vs. GSG
MEAR (iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF) and GSG (iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - MEAR is a Municipal Bonds fund actively managed by iShares, while GSG is a Commodities fund tracking the S&P GSCI Total Return Index. MEAR is actively managed, while GSG is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, MEAR returned 1.78%/yr vs 7.42%/yr for GSG. At a correlation of -0.01, they often move in opposite directions. MEAR charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for GSG.
Performance
MEAR vs. GSG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MEAR achieves a 1.06% return, which is significantly lower than GSG's 40.46% return. Over the past 10 years, MEAR has underperformed GSG with an annualized return of 1.78%, while GSG has yielded a comparatively higher 7.42% annualized return.
MEAR
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- YTD
- 1.06%
- 6M
- 1.30%
- 1Y
- 3.29%
- 3Y*
- 3.58%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 1.78%
GSG
- 1D
- -1.49%
- 1M
- -5.32%
- YTD
- 40.46%
- 6M
- 38.18%
- 1Y
- 49.68%
- 3Y*
- 18.78%
- 5Y*
- 15.39%
- 10Y*
- 7.42%
MEAR vs. GSG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 1.06% | 3.76% | 3.40% | 3.93% | 0.10% | 0.05% | 1.18% | 1.91% | 1.63% | 1.12% |
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 40.46% | 5.93% | 8.52% | -5.51% | 24.08% | 38.77% | -23.94% | 15.62% | -13.88% | 3.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between MEAR and GSG is -0.26, 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 | -0.26 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.09 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.02 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 6, 2015 | -0.01 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between MEAR and GSG has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.01 to -0.26, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
MEAR vs. GSG — Risk / Return Rank
MEAR
GSG
MEAR vs. GSG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) and iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG). 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.
| MEAR | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.69 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.40 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.91 | 1.39 | +0.52 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 7.07 | 5.28 | +1.79 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 28.99 | 13.78 | +15.21 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| MEAR | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.86 | 2.17 | +1.69 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 2.48 | 0.68 | +1.80 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.18 | 0.34 | +0.84 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.11 | -0.09 | +1.20 |
Drawdowns
MEAR vs. GSG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MEAR drawdown since its inception was -2.68%, smaller than the maximum GSG drawdown of -89.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MEAR and GSG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MEAR | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -2.68% | -89.62% | +86.94% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.47% | -9.46% | +8.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.86% | -14.94% | +14.08% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -1.12% | -29.12% | +28.00% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -2.68% | -57.64% | +54.96% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -57.59% | +57.59% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.19% | -63.71% | +63.52% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.11% | 3.62% | -3.51% |
Volatility
MEAR vs. GSG - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF (MEAR) is 0.24%, while iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG) has a volatility of 7.72%. This indicates that MEAR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GSG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MEAR | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.24% | 7.72% | -7.48% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.61% | 20.48% | -19.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.86% | 23.01% | -22.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.98% | 22.61% | -21.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.52% | 22.03% | -20.51% |
MEAR vs. GSG - Expense Ratio Comparison
MEAR has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than GSG's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
MEAR vs. GSG - Dividend Comparison
MEAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%, while GSG has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed 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% |
MEAR iShares Short Maturity Municipal Bond ETF | 2.84% | 2.95% | 3.44% | 3.30% | 0.88% | 0.30% | 0.90% | 1.57% | 1.36% | 1.01% | 0.81% | 0.53% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MEAR and GSG have a correlation of -0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GSG has higher volatility (7.72%) compared to MEAR (0.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MEAR dropped -2.68% vs GSG's -89.62%.
On 10-year performance, GSG leads with 7.42% vs 1.78% for MEAR. On fees, MEAR is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, MEAR has been the lower-risk option at 0.24%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, GSG has performed better with a 7.42% return vs 1.78%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
MEAR is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for GSG.
MEAR has the higher dividend yield at 2.84%, compared with 0.00% for GSG.
MEAR is categorized as Municipal Bonds, while GSG is Commodities. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for MEAR and 0.75% for GSG.
MEAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.86 vs 2.17), 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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