SLX vs. ^DJUSST
SLX (VanEck Vectors Steel ETF) is Materials fund tracking the NYSE Arca Steel Index, while ^DJUSST (Dow Jones U.S. Iron & Steel Index) is an index. Over the past 10 years, SLX returned 18.83%/yr vs 17.13%/yr for ^DJUSST. Their correlation of 0.87 suggests significant overlap in exposure.
Performance
SLX vs. ^DJUSST - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLX achieves a 19.94% return, which is significantly lower than ^DJUSST's 35.67% return. Over the past 10 years, SLX has outperformed ^DJUSST with an annualized return of 18.83%, while ^DJUSST has yielded a comparatively lower 17.13% annualized return.
SLX
- 1D
- -2.86%
- 1M
- -4.58%
- YTD
- 19.94%
- 6M
- 19.56%
- 1Y
- 60.79%
- 3Y*
- 21.27%
- 5Y*
- 14.70%
- 10Y*
- 18.83%
^DJUSST
- 1D
- -2.47%
- 1M
- 3.15%
- YTD
- 35.67%
- 6M
- 32.74%
- 1Y
- 70.81%
- 3Y*
- 20.29%
- 5Y*
- 20.12%
- 10Y*
- 17.13%
SLX vs. ^DJUSST - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLX VanEck Vectors Steel ETF | 19.94% | 47.45% | -17.94% | 31.25% | 14.28% | 27.69% | 20.57% | 12.01% | -19.27% | 24.59% |
^DJUSST Dow Jones U.S. Iron & Steel Index | 35.67% | 41.01% | -23.32% | 32.54% | 17.42% | 80.64% | -7.86% | 15.40% | -24.56% | 11.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLX and ^DJUSST is 0.78, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.81 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.83 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.83 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 17, 2006 | 0.87 |
The correlation between SLX and ^DJUSST has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.78 to 0.87 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
SLX vs. ^DJUSST — Risk / Return Rank
SLX
^DJUSST
SLX vs. ^DJUSST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) and Dow Jones U.S. Iron & Steel Index (^DJUSST). 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.
| SLX | ^DJUSST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.03 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.39 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.74 | 3.36 | +0.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.59 | 10.90 | +1.69 |
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Drawdowns
SLX vs. ^DJUSST - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLX drawdown since its inception was -82.14%, roughly equal to the maximum ^DJUSST drawdown of -81.48%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLX and ^DJUSST.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLX | ^DJUSST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -82.14% | -81.48% | -0.66% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.35% | -21.17% | +4.82% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.39% | -38.57% | +11.18% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.62% | -38.57% | +4.95% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -61.64% | -61.00% | -0.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.38% | -10.51% | +0.13% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -38.63% | -37.05% | -1.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.84% | 6.51% | -1.67% |
Volatility
SLX vs. ^DJUSST - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) is 9.40%, while Dow Jones U.S. Iron & Steel Index (^DJUSST) has a volatility of 10.72%. This indicates that SLX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ^DJUSST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLX | ^DJUSST | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.40% | 10.72% | -1.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.29% | 21.40% | -2.11% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 25.19% | 28.67% | -3.48% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 27.84% | 33.65% | -5.81% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 30.90% | 34.07% | -3.17% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SLX and ^DJUSST have a correlation of 0.78, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
^DJUSST has higher volatility (10.72%) compared to SLX (9.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLX dropped -82.14% vs ^DJUSST's -81.48%.
^DJUSST currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.48 vs 2.43), 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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