RND vs. GSG
RND (First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF) and GSG (iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust) are both exchange-traded funds - RND is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Bloomberg R&D Leaders Select Index, while GSG is a Commodities fund tracking the S&P GSCI Total Return Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, RND returned 26.80% vs 51.52% for GSG. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. RND charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for GSG.
Performance
RND vs. GSG - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RND achieves a 6.61% return, which is significantly lower than GSG's 42.58% return.
RND
- 1D
- -0.70%
- 1M
- 5.38%
- YTD
- 6.61%
- 6M
- 5.59%
- 1Y
- 26.80%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
GSG
- 1D
- 0.77%
- 1M
- -4.83%
- YTD
- 42.58%
- 6M
- 41.06%
- 1Y
- 51.52%
- 3Y*
- 19.31%
- 5Y*
- 15.74%
- 10Y*
- 7.69%
RND vs. GSG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
RND First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF | 6.61% | 22.38% | 26.88% |
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 42.58% | 5.93% | -0.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between RND and GSG is -0.22, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 2, 2024 | -0.02 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between RND and GSG has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.02 to -0.22, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
RND vs. GSG — Risk / Return Rank
RND
GSG
RND vs. GSG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (RND) and iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG). 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.
| RND | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.54 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.40 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.73 | 5.47 | -3.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.26 | 14.39 | -8.14 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| RND | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.72 | 2.26 | -0.54 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.70 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.35 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.30 | -0.09 | +1.39 |
Drawdowns
RND vs. GSG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RND drawdown since its inception was -23.52%, smaller than the maximum GSG drawdown of -89.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RND and GSG.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| RND | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -23.52% | -89.62% | +66.10% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.56% | -9.46% | -6.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -14.94% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -29.12% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -57.64% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.70% | -56.95% | +56.25% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.72% | -63.71% | +59.99% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.29% | 3.59% | +0.70% |
Volatility
RND vs. GSG - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF (RND) is 3.75%, while iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust (GSG) has a volatility of 7.65%. This indicates that RND experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GSG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| RND | GSG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.75% | 7.65% | -3.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.78% | 20.42% | -8.64% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.70% | 22.95% | -7.25% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.15% | 22.61% | -1.46% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.15% | 22.03% | -0.88% |
RND vs. GSG - Expense Ratio Comparison
RND has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is lower than GSG's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
RND vs. GSG - Dividend Comparison
Neither RND nor GSG has paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
GSG iShares S&P GSCI Commodity-Indexed Trust | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
RND First Trust Bloomberg R&D Leaders ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.04% |
Frequently Asked Questions
RND and GSG have a correlation of -0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GSG has higher volatility (7.65%) compared to RND (3.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RND dropped -23.52% vs GSG's -89.62%.
On 1-year performance, GSG leads with 51.52% vs 26.80% for RND. On fees, RND is cheaper at 0.60% per year. On volatility, RND has been the lower-risk option at 3.75%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, GSG has performed better with a 51.52% return vs 26.80%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
RND is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for GSG.
RND and GSG have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.00%.
RND is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while GSG is Commodities. RND tracks Bloomberg R&D Leaders Select Index, while GSG tracks S&P GSCI Total Return Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for RND and 0.75% for GSG.
GSG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.26 vs 1.72), 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.
Find the right allocation for RND and GSG
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer