PAAOX vs. IASMX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

PAAOX (T. Rowe Price Asia Opportunities Fund) and IASMX (Guinness Atkinson Asia Focus Fund) are both Asia Pacific Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, PAAOX returned 9.01%/yr vs 9.22%/yr for IASMX. Their correlation of 0.86 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PAAOX charges 1.25%/yr vs 1.98%/yr for IASMX.

Performance

PAAOX vs. IASMX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in T. Rowe Price Asia Opportunities Fund (PAAOX) and Guinness Atkinson Asia Focus Fund (IASMX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PAAOX achieves a 7.13% return, which is significantly lower than IASMX's 17.26% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with PAAOX having a 9.01% annualized return and IASMX not far ahead at 9.22%.

PAAOX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: 7.13%
• 6M: 9.87%
• 1Y: 28.68%
• 3Y*: 13.81%
• 5Y*: 1.09%
• 10Y*: 9.01%

IASMX

• 1D: 1.98%
• 1M: 5.91%
• YTD: 17.26%
• 6M: 19.13%
• 1Y: 41.36%
• 3Y*: 17.30%
• 5Y*: 1.50%
• 10Y*: 9.22%

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

PAAOX vs. IASMX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PAAOX T. Rowe Price Asia Opportunities Fund	7.13%	27.78%	11.30%	-1.00%	-19.33%	-5.50%	26.57%	24.86%	-11.26%	43.07%
IASMX Guinness Atkinson Asia Focus Fund	17.26%	29.64%	4.38%	5.95%	-28.04%	-6.46%	26.02%	29.32%	-17.58%	47.12%

Correlation

The correlation between PAAOX and IASMX is 0.69, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.69
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.79
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.85
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 27, 2014	0.86

The correlation between PAAOX and IASMX shifts across timeframes, from 0.69 (1 year) to 0.86 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PAAOX vs. IASMX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PAAOX

PAAOX Risk / Return Rank: 35
PAAOX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
PAAOX Sortino Ratio Rank: 34
PAAOX Omega Ratio Rank: 44
PAAOX Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
PAAOX Martin Ratio Rank: 30

IASMX

IASMX Risk / Return Rank: 68
IASMX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
IASMX Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
IASMX Omega Ratio Rank: 59
IASMX Calmar Ratio Rank: 84
IASMX Martin Ratio Rank: 63

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.

PAAOX vs. IASMX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for T. Rowe Price Asia Opportunities Fund (PAAOX) and Guinness Atkinson Asia Focus Fund (IASMX). 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.

	PAAOX	IASMX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.74	2.46	-0.71
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.41	3.29	-0.88
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.43	-0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.07	3.97	-1.90
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.06	12.39	-5.33
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PAAOX vs. IASMX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PAAOX Sharpe Ratio is 1.74, which is comparable to the IASMX Sharpe Ratio of 2.46. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PAAOX and IASMX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PAAOX	IASMX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.74	2.46	-0.71
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.06	0.07	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.51	0.45	+0.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.18	+0.27

Drawdowns

PAAOX vs. IASMX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PAAOX drawdown since its inception was -43.02%, smaller than the maximum IASMX drawdown of -76.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PAAOX and IASMX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PAAOX	IASMX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-43.02%	-76.53%	+33.51%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.70%	-10.00%	-3.70%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.78%	-19.62%	+0.84%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-41.46%	-47.13%	+5.67%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.02%	-52.51%	+9.49%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.51%	-2.75%	-2.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.13%	-33.22%	+20.09%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.02%	3.21%	+0.81%

Volatility

PAAOX vs. IASMX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for T. Rowe Price Asia Opportunities Fund (PAAOX) is 0.00%, while Guinness Atkinson Asia Focus Fund (IASMX) has a volatility of 6.16%. This indicates that PAAOX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IASMX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PAAOX	IASMX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.00%	6.16%	-6.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.81%	13.11%	+0.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.11%	16.85%	+0.26%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.13%	21.37%	-3.24%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.67%	20.75%	-3.08%

PAAOX vs. IASMX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PAAOX has a 1.25% expense ratio, which is lower than IASMX's 1.98% expense ratio.

Dividends

PAAOX vs. IASMX - Dividend Comparison

PAAOX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.21%, less than IASMX's 5.90% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IASMX Guinness Atkinson Asia Focus Fund	5.90%	6.92%	1.51%	1.16%	3.40%	9.14%	5.78%	6.61%	12.82%	0.90%	1.44%	1.18%
PAAOX T. Rowe Price Asia Opportunities Fund	3.21%	0.64%	0.00%	1.55%	1.51%	7.43%	1.33%	0.62%	0.61%	0.13%	2.12%	0.89%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PAAOX and IASMX in my portfolio?

PAAOX and IASMX have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PAAOX or IASMX?

IASMX has higher volatility (6.16%) compared to PAAOX (0.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PAAOX dropped -43.02% vs IASMX's -76.53%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IASMX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.46 vs 1.74), 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.