VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VCN.TO (Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF) and HXE.TO (Global X S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Corporate Class ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VCN.TO is a Canada Equities fund tracking the FTSE Canada All Cap Domestic Index, while HXE.TO is a Energy Equities fund tracking the S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index (Total Return). Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VCN.TO returned 12.51%/yr vs 12.02%/yr for HXE.TO. At a 0.47 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VCN.TO charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.27%/yr for HXE.TO.

Performance

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF (VCN.TO) and Global X S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Corporate Class ETF (HXE.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VCN.TO achieves a 11.80% return, which is significantly lower than HXE.TO's 45.06% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VCN.TO having a 12.51% annualized return and HXE.TO not far behind at 12.02%.

VCN.TO

• 1D: 1.20%
• 1M: 5.07%
• YTD: 11.80%
• 6M: 12.19%
• 1Y: 35.18%
• 3Y*: 24.11%
• 5Y*: 15.12%
• 10Y*: 12.51%

HXE.TO

• 1D: 0.40%
• 1M: -1.12%
• YTD: 45.06%
• 6M: 39.83%
• 1Y: 74.64%
• 3Y*: 27.99%
• 5Y*: 30.04%
• 10Y*: 12.02%

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

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VCN.TO Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF	11.80%	30.20%	22.14%	12.26%	-5.78%	25.63%	4.81%	22.06%	-9.11%	8.44%
HXE.TO Global X S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Corporate Class ETF	45.06%	17.30%	14.39%	3.95%	53.52%	81.48%	-33.82%	10.05%	-26.98%	-12.23%

Correlation

The correlation between VCN.TO and HXE.TO is -0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.29
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.42
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.45
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 18, 2013	0.47

The correlation between VCN.TO and HXE.TO shifts across timeframes, from -0.05 (1 year) to 0.47 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VCN.TO	HXE.TO
Financial Services	33.7%	-
Energy	18.5%	100.0%
Basic Materials	17.6%	-
Industrials	10.5%	-
Technology	7.5%	-
Consumer Cyclical	3.7%	-
Consumer Defensive	2.8%	-
Utilities	2.7%	-
Real Estate	1.5%	-
Communication Services	1.4%	-
Healthcare	0.1%	-

Return for Risk

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

VCN.TO

VCN.TO Risk / Return Rank: 83
VCN.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
VCN.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
VCN.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 84
VCN.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
VCN.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 86

HXE.TO

HXE.TO Risk / Return Rank: 89
HXE.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
HXE.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
HXE.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 86
HXE.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
HXE.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 89

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.

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF (VCN.TO) and Global X S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Corporate Class ETF (HXE.TO). 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.

	VCN.TO	HXE.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.80	3.24	-0.43
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.62	3.80	-0.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.51	1.52	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.88	6.90	-3.01
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	18.13	19.73	-1.60
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VCN.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.80, which is comparable to the HXE.TO Sharpe Ratio of 3.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VCN.TO and HXE.TO, 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

	VCN.TO	HXE.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.80	3.24	-0.43
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.17	1.03	+0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.84	0.36	+0.48
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.78	0.22	+0.56

Drawdowns

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VCN.TO drawdown since its inception was -37.32%, smaller than the maximum HXE.TO drawdown of -85.92%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCN.TO and HXE.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	VCN.TO	HXE.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-37.32%	-85.92%	+48.60%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.11%	-10.88%	+1.77%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.24%	-25.34%	+13.10%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.12%	-28.83%	+12.71%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-37.32%	-80.40%	+43.08%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-3.37%	+3.37%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.90%	-30.80%	+26.90%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.95%	3.80%	-1.85%

Volatility

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF (VCN.TO) is 3.54%, while Global X S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Corporate Class ETF (HXE.TO) has a volatility of 9.60%. This indicates that VCN.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than HXE.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VCN.TO	HXE.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.54%	9.60%	-6.06%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.32%	18.90%	-8.58%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.62%	23.26%	-10.64%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.04%	29.23%	-16.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.98%	33.74%	-18.76%

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

VCN.TO has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than HXE.TO's 0.27% 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

VCN.TO vs. HXE.TO - Dividend Comparison

VCN.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.98%, while HXE.TO has not paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HXE.TO Global X S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index Corporate Class 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%
VCN.TO Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index ETF	1.98%	2.27%	2.69%	2.99%	3.15%	2.48%	2.70%	2.85%	2.80%	2.29%	2.34%	2.65%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VCN.TO and HXE.TO in my portfolio?

VCN.TO and HXE.TO have a correlation of -0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VCN.TO or HXE.TO?

On fees, VCN.TO is cheaper at 0.06% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VCN.TO or HXE.TO?

VCN.TO is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.27% for HXE.TO.

What is the main difference between VCN.TO and HXE.TO?

VCN.TO is categorized as Canada Equities, while HXE.TO is Energy Equities. VCN.TO tracks FTSE Canada All Cap Domestic Index, while HXE.TO tracks S&P/TSX Capped Energy Index (Total Return). They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Global X. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for VCN.TO and 0.27% for HXE.TO.