RFEM vs. ISCMF
RFEM (First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF) and ISCMF (iShares Diversified Commodity Swap UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - RFEM is a Emerging Markets Equities fund actively managed by First Trust, while ISCMF is a Commodities fund tracking the Bloomberg Commodity Index. RFEM is actively managed, while ISCMF is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, RFEM returned 22.77%/yr vs 16.78%/yr for ISCMF. At a correlation of -0.01, they often move in opposite directions. RFEM charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.19%/yr for ISCMF.
Performance
RFEM vs. ISCMF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RFEM achieves a 18.11% return, which is significantly lower than ISCMF's 22.87% return.
RFEM
- 1D
- -3.04%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 18.11%
- 6M
- 18.72%
- 1Y
- 36.93%
- 3Y*
- 22.77%
- 5Y*
- 8.62%
- 10Y*
- 9.39%
ISCMF
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -4.99%
- YTD
- 22.87%
- 6M
- 22.87%
- 1Y
- 31.30%
- 3Y*
- 16.78%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
RFEM vs. ISCMF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RFEM First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF | 18.11% | 27.71% | 10.85% | 20.78% | -13.32% |
ISCMF iShares Diversified Commodity Swap UCITS ETF | 22.87% | 19.65% | 3.13% | -9.58% | -5.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between RFEM and ISCMF is -0.09, 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 | -0.09 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 17, 2022 | -0.01 |
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Return for Risk
RFEM vs. ISCMF — Risk / Return Rank
RFEM
ISCMF
RFEM vs. ISCMF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF (RFEM) and iShares Diversified Commodity Swap UCITS ETF (ISCMF). 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.
| RFEM | ISCMF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.28 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.45 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 2.31 | -0.93 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.19 | 5.53 | -2.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.49 | 11.85 | +0.64 |
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Drawdowns
RFEM vs. ISCMF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RFEM drawdown since its inception was -42.22%, which is greater than ISCMF's maximum drawdown of -25.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RFEM and ISCMF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RFEM | ISCMF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -42.22% | -25.42% | -16.80% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.65% | -5.69% | -5.96% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.81% | -7.62% | -8.19% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.25% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.22% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.26% | -5.26% | +1.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.93% | -13.35% | +1.42% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.97% | 2.65% | +0.32% |
Volatility
RFEM vs. ISCMF - Volatility Comparison
First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF (RFEM) has a higher volatility of 8.40% compared to iShares Diversified Commodity Swap UCITS ETF (ISCMF) at 5.11%. This indicates that RFEM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ISCMF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| RFEM | ISCMF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.40% | 5.11% | +3.29% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.94% | 15.45% | +0.49% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.14% | 17.84% | +0.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.15% | 14.29% | +3.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.85% | 14.29% | +5.56% |
RFEM vs. ISCMF - Expense Ratio Comparison
RFEM has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than ISCMF's 0.19% expense ratio.
Dividends
RFEM vs. ISCMF - Dividend Comparison
RFEM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.73%, while ISCMF has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISCMF iShares Diversified Commodity Swap UCITS ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
RFEM First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF | 1.73% | 1.98% | 3.64% | 3.28% | 7.74% | 3.21% | 1.22% | 3.75% | 2.37% | 1.62% | 3.73% |
Frequently Asked Questions
RFEM and ISCMF have a correlation of -0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
RFEM has higher volatility (8.40%) compared to ISCMF (5.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RFEM dropped -42.22% vs ISCMF's -25.42%.
On 3-year performance, RFEM leads with 22.77% vs 16.78% for ISCMF. On fees, ISCMF is cheaper at 0.19% per year. On volatility, ISCMF has been the lower-risk option at 5.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, RFEM has performed better with a 22.77% return vs 16.78%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ISCMF is cheaper with a 0.19% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for RFEM.
RFEM has the higher dividend yield at 1.73%, compared with 0.00% for ISCMF.
RFEM is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while ISCMF is Commodities. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for RFEM and 0.19% for ISCMF.
RFEM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.05 vs 1.76), 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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