USCI vs. EWZ
USCI (United States Commodity Index Fund) and EWZ (iShares MSCI Brazil ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - USCI is a Commodities fund tracking the SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Index Total Return, while EWZ is a Latin America Equities fund tracking the MSCI Brazil 25/50 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, USCI returned 8.41%/yr vs 6.86%/yr for EWZ. At a 0.35 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. USCI charges 1.03%/yr vs 0.59%/yr for EWZ.
Performance
USCI vs. EWZ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, USCI achieves a 23.68% return, which is significantly higher than EWZ's 14.17% return. Over the past 10 years, USCI has outperformed EWZ with an annualized return of 8.41%, while EWZ has yielded a comparatively lower 6.86% annualized return.
USCI
- 1D
- -0.50%
- 1M
- -0.05%
- 6M
- 22.70%
- YTD
- 23.68%
- 1Y
- 28.10%
- 3Y*
- 20.39%
- 5Y*
- 19.25%
- 10Y*
- 8.41%
EWZ
- 1D
- 2.77%
- 1M
- 4.20%
- 6M
- 9.71%
- YTD
- 14.17%
- 1Y
- 36.37%
- 3Y*
- 10.52%
- 5Y*
- 6.56%
- 10Y*
- 6.86%
USCI vs. EWZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USCI United States Commodity Index Fund | 23.68% | 17.63% | 17.24% | -0.00% | 29.47% | 33.07% | -11.47% | -1.68% | -11.76% | 6.32% |
EWZ iShares MSCI Brazil ETF | 14.17% | 48.81% | -30.41% | 32.62% | 12.09% | -17.32% | -20.35% | 27.67% | -2.52% | 23.62% |
Correlation
The correlation between USCI and EWZ is 0.10, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 10, 2010 | 0.35 |
Over the past year, the correlation between USCI and EWZ has dropped to 0.10 - well below their long-term average of 0.35, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
USCI vs. EWZ — Risk / Return Rank
USCI
EWZ
USCI vs. EWZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for United States Commodity Index Fund (USCI) and iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ). 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.
| USCI | EWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.34 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.43 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.25 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.67 | 1.85 | +0.82 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.50 | 4.94 | +3.56 |
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Drawdowns
USCI vs. EWZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum USCI drawdown since its inception was -66.41%, smaller than the maximum EWZ drawdown of -77.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for USCI and EWZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| USCI | EWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.41% | -77.25% | +10.84% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.19% | -19.27% | +8.08% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -12.01% | -31.36% | +19.35% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.84% | -32.24% | +13.40% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.82% | -56.99% | +11.17% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.52% | -20.49% | +13.97% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -29.37% | -35.90% | +6.53% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.51% | 7.20% | -3.69% |
Volatility
USCI vs. EWZ - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for United States Commodity Index Fund (USCI) is 4.94%, while iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (EWZ) has a volatility of 5.74%. This indicates that USCI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EWZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| USCI | EWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.94% | 5.74% | -0.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.42% | 19.70% | -5.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.91% | 24.98% | -8.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.40% | 27.60% | -9.20% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.88% | 33.90% | -18.02% |
USCI vs. EWZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
USCI has a 1.03% expense ratio, which is higher than EWZ's 0.59% expense ratio.
Dividends
USCI vs. EWZ - Dividend Comparison
USCI has not paid dividends to shareholders, while EWZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.07%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EWZ iShares MSCI Brazil ETF | 4.07% | 5.19% | 8.91% | 5.66% | 12.59% | 9.87% | 1.71% | 2.54% | 2.89% | 1.71% | 1.81% | 4.08% |
USCI United States Commodity Index Fund | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
USCI and EWZ have a correlation of 0.10, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EWZ has higher volatility (5.74%) compared to USCI (4.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, USCI dropped -66.41% vs EWZ's -77.25%.
On 10-year performance, USCI leads with 8.41% vs 6.86% for EWZ. On fees, EWZ is cheaper at 0.59% per year. On volatility, USCI has been the lower-risk option at 4.94%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, USCI has performed better with a 8.41% return vs 6.86%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
EWZ is cheaper with a 0.59% expense ratio, compared with 1.03% for USCI.
EWZ has the higher dividend yield at 4.07%, compared with 0.00% for USCI.
USCI is categorized as Commodities, while EWZ is Latin America Equities. USCI tracks SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Index Total Return, while EWZ tracks MSCI Brazil 25/50 Index. They also come from different issuers: United States Commodity Funds and iShares. Their fees differ too: 1.03% for USCI and 0.59% for EWZ.
USCI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.77 vs 1.43), 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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