RCTR vs. IGLD

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

RCTR (First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF) and IGLD (FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - RCTR is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Bloomberg Nuclear Power Index, while IGLD is a Gold fund actively managed by First Trust. RCTR is passively managed, while IGLD is actively managed. Over the past year, RCTR returned 9.71% vs 13.80% for IGLD. Their 0.47 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. RCTR charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for IGLD.

Performance

RCTR vs. IGLD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF (RCTR) and FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RCTR achieves a 0.61% return, which is significantly higher than IGLD's -6.56% return.

RCTR

• 1D: -0.68%
• 1M: -2.79%
• 6M: -9.50%
• YTD: 0.61%
• 1Y: 9.71%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 7.30%

IGLD

• 1D: -1.09%
• 1M: -1.14%
• 6M: -15.05%
• YTD: -6.56%
• 1Y: 13.80%
• 3Y*: 19.55%
• 5Y*: 12.09%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 11.82%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
IGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	$4.80M	$5.50M	$7.14M
RCTR First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF	$83.08K	$122.59K	$254.75K

RCTR vs. IGLD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
RCTR First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF	0.61%	6.65%
IGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	-6.56%	24.13%

Correlation

The correlation between RCTR and IGLD is 0.48, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.48
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 31, 2025	0.47

Return for Risk

RCTR vs. IGLD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

RCTR

RCTR Risk / Return Rank: 18
RCTR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
RCTR Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
RCTR Omega Ratio Rank: 17
RCTR Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
RCTR Martin Ratio Rank: 18

IGLD

IGLD Risk / Return Rank: 25
IGLD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 26
IGLD Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
IGLD Omega Ratio Rank: 29
IGLD Calmar Ratio Rank: 22
IGLD Martin Ratio Rank: 21

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

RCTR vs. IGLD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF (RCTR) and FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD). 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.

	RCTR	IGLD	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.30	0.61	-0.32
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.60	0.95	-0.34
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.07	1.13	-0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.42	0.65	-0.23
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.00	1.46	-0.45

RCTR vs. IGLD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RCTR Sharpe Ratio is 0.30, which is lower than the IGLD Sharpe Ratio of 0.61. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RCTR and IGLD, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

RCTR vs. IGLD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RCTR drawdown since its inception was -18.98%, smaller than the maximum IGLD drawdown of -23.84%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RCTR and IGLD.

Drawdown Indicators

	RCTR	IGLD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.98%	-23.84%	+4.86%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-18.98%	-23.84%	+4.86%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-23.84%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-23.84%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-16.26%	-22.04%	+5.78%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.09%	-5.70%	-0.39%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.86%	10.55%	-2.69%

Volatility

RCTR vs. IGLD - Volatility Comparison

First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF (RCTR) has a higher volatility of 7.98% compared to FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF (IGLD) at 5.69%. This indicates that RCTR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IGLD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RCTR	IGLD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.98%	5.69%	+2.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.49%	22.06%	-1.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.82%	25.10%	+1.72%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.82%	15.74%	+11.08%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.82%	15.43%	+11.39%

RCTR vs. IGLD - Expense Ratio Comparison

RCTR has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is lower than IGLD's 0.85% expense ratio.

Dividends

RCTR vs. IGLD - Dividend Comparison

RCTR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.64%, less than IGLD's 21.34% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
IGLD FT Vest Gold Strategy Target Income ETF	20.71%	9.91%	20.81%	7.85%	4.45%	2.24%
RCTR First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF	0.64%	0.36%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RCTR and IGLD in my portfolio?

RCTR and IGLD have a correlation of 0.48, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RCTR or IGLD?

RCTR has higher volatility (7.98%) compared to IGLD (5.69%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RCTR dropped -18.98% vs IGLD's -23.84%.

Which ETF is better, RCTR or IGLD?

On 1-year performance, IGLD leads with 13.80% vs 9.71% for RCTR. On fees, RCTR is cheaper at 0.70% per year. On volatility, IGLD has been the lower-risk option at 5.69%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, RCTR or IGLD?

Over the 1-year period, IGLD has performed better with a 13.80% return vs 9.71%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, RCTR or IGLD?

RCTR is cheaper with a 0.70% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for IGLD.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, RCTR or IGLD?

IGLD has the higher dividend yield at 20.71%, compared with 0.64% for RCTR.

What is the main difference between RCTR and IGLD?

RCTR is categorized as Energy Equities, while IGLD is Gold. Their fees differ too: 0.70% for RCTR and 0.85% for IGLD.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IGLD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.61 vs 0.29), 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.