TECS vs. SPY
TECS (Direxion Daily Technology Bear 3X Shares) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - TECS is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Technology Select Sector Index (-300%), while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, TECS returned -62.51%/yr vs 15.49%/yr for SPY. At a correlation of -0.88, they often move in opposite directions. TECS charges 1.08%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.
Performance
TECS vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, TECS achieves a -64.31% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 10.91% return. Over the past 10 years, TECS has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of -62.51%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.49% annualized return.
TECS
- 1D
- 2.85%
- 1M
- -45.32%
- YTD
- -64.31%
- 6M
- -63.84%
- 1Y
- -80.92%
- 3Y*
- -64.76%
- 5Y*
- -59.06%
- 10Y*
- -62.51%
SPY
- 1D
- -0.70%
- 1M
- 5.05%
- YTD
- 10.91%
- 6M
- 10.91%
- 1Y
- 27.98%
- 3Y*
- 22.35%
- 5Y*
- 13.83%
- 10Y*
- 15.49%
TECS vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TECS Direxion Daily Technology Bear 3X Shares | -64.31% | -62.44% | -49.76% | -74.45% | 45.05% | -67.92% | -87.79% | -73.77% | -19.14% | -60.81% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 10.91% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Correlation
The correlation between TECS and SPY is -0.86, 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 | -0.86 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.88 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.91 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 31, 2008 | -0.88 |
The correlation between TECS and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from -0.91 to -0.86 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
TECS vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
TECS
SPY
TECS vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Technology Bear 3X Shares (TECS) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.
| TECS | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.30 | 2.38 | -3.68 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.09 | 3.24 | -6.33 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.68 | 1.43 | -0.75 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.99 | 3.16 | -4.16 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.81 | 14.72 | -16.53 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| TECS | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -1.30 | 2.38 | -3.68 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.80 | 0.82 | -1.61 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.87 | 0.87 | -1.73 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.89 | 0.59 | -1.47 |
Drawdowns
TECS vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum TECS drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TECS and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| TECS | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -55.19% | -44.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -81.50% | -8.88% | -72.62% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -96.22% | -18.76% | -77.46% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -98.88% | -24.50% | -74.38% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -100.00% | -33.72% | -66.28% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | -0.70% | -99.30% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -96.76% | -9.05% | -87.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 44.66% | 1.91% | +42.75% |
Volatility
TECS vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily Technology Bear 3X Shares (TECS) has a higher volatility of 21.44% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that TECS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| TECS | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 21.44% | 2.84% | +18.60% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 50.52% | 8.90% | +41.62% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 62.27% | 11.83% | +50.44% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 74.25% | 17.05% | +57.20% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 72.17% | 17.94% | +54.23% |
TECS vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
TECS has a 1.08% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
TECS vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
TECS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.91%, more than SPY's 0.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 0.98% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
TECS Direxion Daily Technology Bear 3X Shares | 10.91% | 5.83% | 5.24% | 7.52% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.50% | 2.40% | 0.72% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
TECS and SPY have a correlation of -0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
TECS has higher volatility (21.44%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TECS dropped -100.00% vs SPY's -55.19%.
On 10-year performance, SPY leads with 15.49% vs -62.51% for TECS. On fees, SPY is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SPY has been the lower-risk option at 2.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SPY has performed better with a 15.49% return vs -62.51%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SPY is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 1.08% for TECS.
TECS has the higher dividend yield at 10.91%, compared with 0.98% for SPY.
TECS is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while SPY is S&P 500. TECS tracks Technology Select Sector Index (-300%), while SPY tracks S&P 500 Index. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and State Street. Their fees differ too: 1.08% for TECS and 0.09% for SPY.
SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs -1.30), 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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