QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

QCLN.L (First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc) and SXLE.L (State Street SPDR S&P U.S. Energy Select Sector UCITS ETF) are both Energy Equities funds - QCLN.L tracks the S&P Global Clean Energy TR USD while SXLE.L tracks the S&P Energy Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, QCLN.L returned 2.45%/yr vs 21.51%/yr for SXLE.L. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. QCLN.L charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for SXLE.L.

Performance

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc (QCLN.L) and State Street SPDR S&P U.S. Energy Select Sector UCITS ETF (SXLE.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

QCLN.L is traded in GBp, while SXLE.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the SXLE.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, QCLN.L achieves a 50.74% return, which is significantly higher than SXLE.L's 31.04% return.

QCLN.L

• 1D: -1.62%
• 1M: 15.04%
• YTD: 50.74%
• 6M: 46.10%
• 1Y: 117.65%
• 3Y*: 8.19%
• 5Y*: 2.45%
• 10Y*: —

SXLE.L

• 1D: -0.28%
• 1M: -0.10%
• YTD: 31.04%
• 6M: 28.53%
• 1Y: 47.78%
• 3Y*: 14.31%
• 5Y*: 21.51%
• 10Y*: 10.40%

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

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
QCLN.L First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc	50.74%	20.09%	-17.94%	-12.66%	-23.26%	-17.50%
SXLE.L State Street SPDR S&P U.S. Energy Select Sector UCITS ETF	31.04%	1.92%	5.56%	-4.41%	82.11%	40.64%

Correlation

The correlation between QCLN.L and SXLE.L is -0.04, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.04
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.16
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.22
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 4, 2021	0.21

The correlation between QCLN.L and SXLE.L shifts across timeframes, from -0.04 (1 year) to 0.22 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	QCLN.L	SXLE.L
Technology	46.8%	-
Industrials	28.6%	-
Consumer Cyclical	10.8%	-
Basic Materials	6.4%	-
Utilities	5.2%	-
Financial Services	2.0%	-
Energy	0.2%	100.0%
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

QCLN.L

QCLN.L Risk / Return Rank: 90
QCLN.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
QCLN.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
QCLN.L Omega Ratio Rank: 80
QCLN.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
QCLN.L Martin Ratio Rank: 93

SXLE.L

SXLE.L Risk / Return Rank: 60
SXLE.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
SXLE.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
SXLE.L Omega Ratio Rank: 58
SXLE.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
SXLE.L Martin Ratio Rank: 57

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.

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc (QCLN.L) and State Street SPDR S&P U.S. Energy Select Sector UCITS ETF (SXLE.L). 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.

	QCLN.L	SXLE.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.44	2.06	+1.38
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.03	2.54	+1.49
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.35	+0.11
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	7.96	2.86	+5.11
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	25.08	8.85	+16.23
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current QCLN.L Sharpe Ratio is 3.44, which is higher than the SXLE.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.06. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of QCLN.L and SXLE.L, 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

	QCLN.L	SXLE.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.44	2.06	+1.38
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.07	0.81	-0.74
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.37	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.10	0.40	-0.50

Drawdowns

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum QCLN.L drawdown since its inception was -69.87%, which is greater than SXLE.L's maximum drawdown of -62.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for QCLN.L and SXLE.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	QCLN.L	SXLE.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-69.87%	-62.09%	-7.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.69%	-16.65%	+1.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-56.66%	-23.84%	-32.82%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-68.64%	-23.84%	-44.80%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-62.09%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-21.08%	-9.06%	-12.02%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-40.89%	-15.52%	-25.37%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.67%	5.38%	-0.71%

Volatility

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Volatility Comparison

First Trust Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy UCITS ETF Acc (QCLN.L) has a higher volatility of 14.86% compared to State Street SPDR S&P U.S. Energy Select Sector UCITS ETF (SXLE.L) at 8.66%. This indicates that QCLN.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SXLE.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	QCLN.L	SXLE.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.86%	8.66%	+6.20%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	24.36%	19.47%	+4.89%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	34.07%	23.18%	+10.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	35.87%	26.52%	+9.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	36.95%	28.35%	+8.60%

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

QCLN.L has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than SXLE.L's 0.15% expense ratio.

Dividends

QCLN.L vs. SXLE.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither QCLN.L nor SXLE.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both QCLN.L and SXLE.L in my portfolio?

QCLN.L and SXLE.L have a correlation of -0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, QCLN.L or SXLE.L?

On fees, SXLE.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, QCLN.L or SXLE.L?

SXLE.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for QCLN.L.

What is the main difference between QCLN.L and SXLE.L?

QCLN.L tracks S&P Global Clean Energy TR USD, while SXLE.L tracks S&P Energy Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for QCLN.L and 0.15% for SXLE.L.