RCTR vs. ION
RCTR (First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF) and ION (Proshares S&P Global Core Battery Metals ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - RCTR is a Energy Equities fund tracking the Bloomberg Nuclear Power Index, while ION is a Lithium & Battery Metals fund tracking the S&P Global Core Battery Metals Index - Benchmark TR Net. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, RCTR returned 9.71% vs 56.19% for ION. Their 0.56 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. RCTR charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.58%/yr for ION.
Performance
RCTR vs. ION - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RCTR achieves a 0.61% return, which is significantly higher than ION's -7.96% return.
RCTR
- 1D
- -0.68%
- 1M
- -2.79%
- 6M
- -9.50%
- YTD
- 0.61%
- 1Y
- 9.71%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 7.30%
ION
- 1D
- -0.29%
- 1M
- -7.01%
- 6M
- -17.55%
- YTD
- -7.96%
- 1Y
- 56.19%
- 3Y*
- 9.85%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 5.25%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $76.11K | $91.53K | $254.87K | |
| $83.08K | $122.59K | $254.75K |
RCTR vs. ION - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
RCTR First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF | 0.61% | 6.65% |
ION Proshares S&P Global Core Battery Metals ETF | -7.96% | 65.19% |
Correlation
The correlation between RCTR and ION is 0.56, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 31, 2025 | 0.56 |
The correlation between RCTR and ION has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.56 to 0.56 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
RCTR vs. ION — Risk / Return Rank
RCTR
ION
RCTR vs. ION - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF (RCTR) and Proshares S&P Global Core Battery Metals ETF (ION). 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 | ION | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.16 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.34 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.07 | 1.24 | -0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.42 | 1.70 | -1.29 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.00 | 4.67 | -3.67 |
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Drawdowns
RCTR vs. ION - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RCTR drawdown since its inception was -18.98%, smaller than the maximum ION drawdown of -52.08%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RCTR and ION.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RCTR | ION | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.98% | -52.08% | +33.10% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -18.98% | -33.66% | +14.68% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -42.44% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -16.26% | -30.57% | +14.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.09% | -23.76% | +17.67% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.86% | 12.26% | -4.40% |
Volatility
RCTR vs. ION - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF (RCTR) is 7.98%, while Proshares S&P Global Core Battery Metals ETF (ION) has a volatility of 9.49%. This indicates that RCTR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ION based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| RCTR | ION | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.98% | 9.49% | -1.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.49% | 30.92% | -10.43% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.82% | 39.63% | -12.81% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.82% | 31.58% | -4.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 26.82% | 31.58% | -4.76% |
RCTR vs. ION - Expense Ratio Comparison
RCTR has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than ION's 0.58% expense ratio.
Dividends
RCTR vs. ION - Dividend Comparison
RCTR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.64%, less than ION's 1.61% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ION Proshares S&P Global Core Battery Metals ETF | 1.61% | 1.63% | 1.74% | 2.23% | 0.13% |
RCTR First Trust Bloomberg Nuclear Power ETF | 0.64% | 0.36% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
RCTR and ION have a correlation of 0.56, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ION has higher volatility (9.49%) compared to RCTR (7.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RCTR dropped -18.98% vs ION's -52.08%.
On 1-year performance, ION leads with 56.19% vs 9.71% for RCTR. On fees, ION is cheaper at 0.58% per year. On volatility, RCTR has been the lower-risk option at 7.98%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, ION has performed better with a 56.19% return vs 9.71%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ION is cheaper with a 0.58% expense ratio, compared with 0.70% for RCTR.
ION has the higher dividend yield at 1.61%, compared with 0.64% for RCTR.
RCTR is categorized as Energy Equities, while ION is Lithium & Battery Metals. RCTR tracks Bloomberg Nuclear Power Index, while ION tracks S&P Global Core Battery Metals Index - Benchmark TR Net. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and ProShares. Their fees differ too: 0.70% for RCTR and 0.58% for ION.
ION currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.45 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.
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