UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

UTIL.L (SPDR MSCI Europe Utilities UCITS ETF) and EMBE.L (iShares J.P. Morgan USD EM Bond EUR Hedged UCITS ETF (Dist)) are both exchange-traded funds - UTIL.L is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the MSCI World/Utilities NR USD, while EMBE.L is a Emerging Markets Bonds fund tracking the JPM EMBI Global Diversified Hedge TR EUR. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, UTIL.L returned 10.84%/yr vs 0.91%/yr for EMBE.L. At a 0.37 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UTIL.L charges 0.18%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for EMBE.L.

Performance

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a €10,000 investment in SPDR MSCI Europe Utilities UCITS ETF (UTIL.L) and iShares J.P. Morgan USD EM Bond EUR Hedged UCITS ETF (Dist) (EMBE.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UTIL.L achieves a 13.65% return, which is significantly higher than EMBE.L's 0.41% return. Over the past 10 years, UTIL.L has outperformed EMBE.L with an annualized return of 10.84%, while EMBE.L has yielded a comparatively lower 0.91% annualized return.

UTIL.L

• 1D: -0.64%
• 1M: -0.76%
• YTD: 13.65%
• 6M: 15.33%
• 1Y: 27.67%
• 3Y*: 16.62%
• 5Y*: 11.84%
• 10Y*: 10.84%

EMBE.L

• 1D: -0.01%
• 1M: -0.47%
• YTD: 0.41%
• 6M: 1.14%
• 1Y: 8.54%
• 3Y*: 7.20%
• 5Y*: -0.58%
• 10Y*: 0.91%

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

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UTIL.L SPDR MSCI Europe Utilities UCITS ETF	13.65%	33.98%	1.33%	13.09%	-6.77%	8.27%	11.82%	29.32%	3.36%	9.29%
EMBE.L iShares J.P. Morgan USD EM Bond EUR Hedged UCITS ETF (Dist)	0.41%	10.99%	4.00%	7.66%	-20.86%	-3.27%	3.35%	12.27%	-8.40%	8.13%

Correlation

The correlation between UTIL.L and EMBE.L is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.34
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.36
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 9, 2014	0.37

The correlation between UTIL.L and EMBE.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.22 (1 year) to 0.37 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	UTIL.L	EMBE.L
Utilities	95.4%	-
Industrials	4.6%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-0.3%
Healthcare	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Technology	-	-

Return for Risk

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

UTIL.L

UTIL.L Risk / Return Rank: 65
UTIL.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 62
UTIL.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
UTIL.L Omega Ratio Rank: 61
UTIL.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
UTIL.L Martin Ratio Rank: 64

EMBE.L

EMBE.L Risk / Return Rank: 47
EMBE.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
EMBE.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
EMBE.L Omega Ratio Rank: 48
EMBE.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 41
EMBE.L Martin Ratio Rank: 47

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.

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR MSCI Europe Utilities UCITS ETF (UTIL.L) and iShares J.P. Morgan USD EM Bond EUR Hedged UCITS ETF (Dist) (EMBE.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.

	UTIL.L	EMBE.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.85	1.45	+0.41
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.42	2.32	+0.10
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.27	+0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.77	1.86	+1.92
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.51	7.12	+3.39
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UTIL.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.85, which is comparable to the EMBE.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UTIL.L and EMBE.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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	UTIL.L	EMBE.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.85	1.45	+0.41
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.73	-0.07	+0.79
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.61	0.10	+0.52
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.50	0.23	+0.27

Drawdowns

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UTIL.L drawdown since its inception was -34.59%, which is greater than EMBE.L's maximum drawdown of -30.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UTIL.L and EMBE.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	UTIL.L	EMBE.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.59%	-30.73%	-3.86%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.30%	-4.58%	-2.72%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.48%	-7.94%	-5.54%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.12%	-30.46%	+8.34%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.59%	-30.73%	-3.86%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.57%	-4.47%	-0.10%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.01%	-7.39%	+1.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.63%	1.20%	+1.43%

Volatility

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Volatility Comparison

SPDR MSCI Europe Utilities UCITS ETF (UTIL.L) has a higher volatility of 5.68% compared to iShares J.P. Morgan USD EM Bond EUR Hedged UCITS ETF (Dist) (EMBE.L) at 2.07%. This indicates that UTIL.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EMBE.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UTIL.L	EMBE.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.68%	2.07%	+3.61%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.96%	4.85%	+8.11%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.89%	5.89%	+9.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.24%	8.89%	+7.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.67%	9.48%	+8.19%

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

UTIL.L has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is lower than EMBE.L's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

UTIL.L vs. EMBE.L - Dividend Comparison

UTIL.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while EMBE.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.66%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EMBE.L iShares J.P. Morgan USD EM Bond EUR Hedged UCITS ETF (Dist)	5.66%	5.44%	5.64%	5.50%	5.39%	3.92%	3.85%	4.77%	5.75%	3.88%	5.36%	4.72%
UTIL.L SPDR MSCI Europe Utilities UCITS ETF	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

Can I hold both UTIL.L and EMBE.L in my portfolio?

UTIL.L and EMBE.L 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.

Which ETF is better, UTIL.L or EMBE.L?

On fees, UTIL.L is cheaper at 0.18% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, UTIL.L or EMBE.L?

UTIL.L is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for EMBE.L.

What is the main difference between UTIL.L and EMBE.L?

UTIL.L is categorized as Utilities Equities, while EMBE.L is Emerging Markets Bonds. UTIL.L tracks MSCI World/Utilities NR USD, while EMBE.L tracks JPM EMBI Global Diversified Hedge TR EUR. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.18% for UTIL.L and 0.50% for EMBE.L.