SPY vs. GLTL.L

Last updated Jun 14, 2026

SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) and GLTL.L (SPDR Bloomberg 15+ Year Gilt UCITS ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while GLTL.L is a European Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SPY returned 15.42%/yr vs -4.28%/yr for GLTL.L. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SPY charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for GLTL.L.

Performance

SPY vs. GLTL.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and SPDR Bloomberg 15+ Year Gilt UCITS ETF (GLTL.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

SPY is traded in USD, while GLTL.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the GLTL.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SPY achieves a 9.07% return, which is significantly higher than GLTL.L's -3.16% return. Over the past 10 years, SPY has outperformed GLTL.L with an annualized return of 15.42%, while GLTL.L has yielded a comparatively lower -4.28% annualized return.

SPY

• 1D: 0.54%
• 1M: -0.86%
• YTD: 9.07%
• 6M: 9.42%
• 1Y: 25.67%
• 3Y*: 20.86%
• 5Y*: 13.36%
• 10Y*: 15.42%

GLTL.L

• 1D: 0.60%
• 1M: 5.66%
• YTD: -3.16%
• 6M: -1.57%
• 1Y: -1.33%
• 3Y*: 1.99%
• 5Y*: -11.91%
• 10Y*: -4.28%

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

SPY vs. GLTL.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	9.07%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%
GLTL.L SPDR Bloomberg 15+ Year Gilt UCITS ETF	-3.16%	10.93%	-11.96%	6.60%	-47.01%	-7.42%	17.09%	16.02%	-5.45%	13.15%

Correlation

The correlation between SPY and GLTL.L is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.36
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.26
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.22
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.10
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 17, 2012	0.04

Over the past year, SPY and GLTL.L have become more correlated (0.36) than their long-term average of 0.04, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

SPY vs. GLTL.L — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 76

GLTL.L

GLTL.L Risk / Return Rank: 8
GLTL.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9
GLTL.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 8
GLTL.L Omega Ratio Rank: 8
GLTL.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
GLTL.L Martin Ratio Rank: 9

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

SPY vs. GLTL.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and SPDR Bloomberg 15+ Year Gilt UCITS ETF (GLTL.L). 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.

	SPY	GLTL.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.98	-0.15	+2.14
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.68	-0.10	+2.79
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	0.99	+0.37
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.74	-0.20	+2.95
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.39	-0.47	+12.86

SPY vs. GLTL.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SPY Sharpe Ratio is 1.98, which is higher than the GLTL.L Sharpe Ratio of -0.15. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SPY and GLTL.L, 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

SPY vs. GLTL.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SPY drawdown since its inception was -55.19%, smaller than the maximum GLTL.L drawdown of -63.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SPY and GLTL.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	SPY	GLTL.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-55.19%	-63.35%	+8.16%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.88%	-11.93%	+3.05%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.76%	-20.98%	+2.22%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.50%	-62.68%	+38.18%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.72%	-63.35%	+29.63%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.35%	-50.64%	+48.29%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.04%	-19.35%	+10.31%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.97%	5.16%	-3.19%

Volatility

SPY vs. GLTL.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is 4.34%, while SPDR Bloomberg 15+ Year Gilt UCITS ETF (GLTL.L) has a volatility of 5.42%. This indicates that SPY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GLTL.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SPY	GLTL.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.34%	5.42%	-1.08%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.58%	11.76%	-2.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.29%	15.78%	-3.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.12%	22.61%	-5.49%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.96%	19.38%	-1.42%

SPY vs. GLTL.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

SPY has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than GLTL.L's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

SPY vs. GLTL.L - Dividend Comparison

SPY's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.00%, less than GLTL.L's 5.08% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GLTL.L SPDR Bloomberg 15+ Year Gilt UCITS ETF	5.08%	4.77%	4.39%	2.97%	1.63%	0.87%	1.01%	1.43%	1.55%	1.86%	1.99%	2.51%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	1.00%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SPY and GLTL.L in my portfolio?

SPY and GLTL.L have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, SPY or GLTL.L?

On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, SPY or GLTL.L?

SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for GLTL.L.

What is the main difference between SPY and GLTL.L?

SPY is categorized as S&P 500, while GLTL.L is European Government Bonds. SPY tracks S&P 500 Index, while GLTL.L tracks FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for SPY and 0.15% for GLTL.L.