MUB vs. GLDM
MUB (iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF) and GLDM (SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - MUB is a Municipal Bonds fund tracking the S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index, while GLDM is a Gold fund tracking the LBMA Gold Price PM. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, MUB returned 0.80%/yr vs 17.41%/yr for GLDM. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. MUB charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for GLDM.
Performance
MUB vs. GLDM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MUB achieves a 1.28% return, which is significantly higher than GLDM's -2.40% return.
MUB
- 1D
- -0.01%
- 1M
- 0.63%
- YTD
- 1.28%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 6.40%
- 3Y*
- 3.35%
- 5Y*
- 0.80%
- 10Y*
- 1.92%
GLDM
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- -9.52%
- YTD
- -2.40%
- 6M
- -2.09%
- 1Y
- 22.58%
- 3Y*
- 29.27%
- 5Y*
- 17.41%
- 10Y*
- —
MUB vs. GLDM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MUB iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | 1.28% | 3.78% | 1.26% | 5.56% | -7.34% | 1.02% | 5.12% | 7.06% | 1.60% |
GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust | -2.40% | 64.20% | 27.08% | 13.04% | -0.47% | -4.01% | 25.10% | 18.10% | 1.75% |
Correlation
The correlation between MUB and GLDM is 0.23, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 2018 | 0.30 |
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Return for Risk
MUB vs. GLDM — Risk / Return Rank
MUB
GLDM
MUB vs. GLDM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF (MUB) and SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM). 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.
| MUB | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.26 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.87 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 1.19 | +0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.22 | 1.00 | +1.23 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.77 | 2.87 | +4.90 |
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Drawdowns
MUB vs. GLDM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MUB drawdown since its inception was -13.68%, smaller than the maximum GLDM drawdown of -24.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MUB and GLDM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MUB | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -13.68% | -24.35% | +10.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.79% | -24.35% | +21.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.34% | -24.35% | +19.01% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -11.88% | -24.35% | +12.47% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -13.68% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.66% | -21.96% | +21.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.23% | -6.27% | +4.04% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.80% | 8.44% | -7.64% |
Volatility
MUB vs. GLDM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF (MUB) is 1.01%, while SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM) has a volatility of 7.73%. This indicates that MUB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLDM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MUB | GLDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.01% | 7.73% | -6.72% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.25% | 23.93% | -21.68% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.90% | 27.15% | -24.25% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.06% | 18.13% | -14.07% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.92% | 16.98% | -12.06% |
MUB vs. GLDM - Expense Ratio Comparison
MUB has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than GLDM's 0.10% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
MUB vs. GLDM - Dividend Comparison
MUB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.17%, while GLDM has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GLDM SPDR Gold MiniShares 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% |
MUB iShares National AMT-Free Muni Bond ETF | 3.17% | 3.14% | 3.01% | 2.65% | 2.11% | 1.81% | 2.11% | 2.42% | 2.46% | 2.26% | 2.21% | 2.51% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MUB and GLDM have a correlation of 0.23, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GLDM has higher volatility (7.73%) compared to MUB (1.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MUB dropped -13.68% vs GLDM's -24.35%.
On 5-year performance, GLDM leads with 17.41% vs 0.80% for MUB. On fees, MUB is cheaper at 0.07% per year. On volatility, MUB has been the lower-risk option at 1.01%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, GLDM has performed better with a 17.41% return vs 0.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
MUB is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.10% for GLDM.
MUB has the higher dividend yield at 3.17%, compared with 0.00% for GLDM.
MUB is categorized as Municipal Bonds, while GLDM is Gold. MUB tracks S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index, while GLDM tracks LBMA Gold Price PM. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for MUB and 0.10% for GLDM.
MUB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.16 vs 0.90), 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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