WLDS.L vs. AGG

Last updated Jun 7, 2026

WLDS.L (iShares MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - WLDS.L is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the MSCI World Small Cap Inde, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, WLDS.L returned 7.97%/yr vs 1.24%/yr for AGG. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. WLDS.L charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.

Performance

WLDS.L vs. AGG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF (WLDS.L) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WLDS.L achieves a 13.19% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's 0.92% return.

WLDS.L

• 1D: -1.29%
• 1M: 1.87%
• YTD: 13.19%
• 6M: 13.02%
• 1Y: 31.05%
• 3Y*: 14.05%
• 5Y*: 7.97%
• 10Y*: —

AGG

• 1D: 0.13%
• 1M: 1.49%
• YTD: 0.92%
• 6M: 0.04%
• 1Y: 6.44%
• 3Y*: 1.36%
• 5Y*: 1.24%
• 10Y*: 2.42%

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

WLDS.L vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
WLDS.L iShares MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF	13.19%	11.75%	8.63%	11.26%	-8.89%	16.71%	12.54%	20.41%	-31.05%
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	0.92%	-0.44%	3.08%	0.37%	-2.68%	-0.84%	4.32%	4.33%	13.17%

Correlation

The correlation between WLDS.L and AGG is 0.09, 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	0.09
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.13
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.03
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 28, 2018	0.06

The correlation between WLDS.L and AGG shifts across timeframes, from 0.03 (5 years) to 0.13 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

WLDS.L vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank

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

WLDS.L

WLDS.L Risk / Return Rank: 83
WLDS.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
WLDS.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
WLDS.L Omega Ratio Rank: 81
WLDS.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
WLDS.L Martin Ratio Rank: 82

AGG

AGG Risk / Return Rank: 33
AGG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
AGG Sortino Ratio Rank: 33
AGG Omega Ratio Rank: 31
AGG Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
AGG Martin Ratio Rank: 33

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.

WLDS.L vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF (WLDS.L) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). 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.

	WLDS.L	AGG	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.50	1.01	+1.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.51	1.55	+1.97
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	1.19	+0.25
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.05	1.18	+2.86
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.28	3.12	+12.16
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WLDS.L vs. AGG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WLDS.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.50, which is higher than the AGG Sharpe Ratio of 1.01. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WLDS.L and AGG, 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

	WLDS.L	AGG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.50	1.01	+1.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39	0.14	+0.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.25	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.23	0.51	-0.28

Drawdowns

WLDS.L vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WLDS.L drawdown since its inception was -43.18%, which is greater than AGG's maximum drawdown of -17.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WLDS.L and AGG.

Drawdown Indicators

	WLDS.L	AGG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-43.18%	-17.60%	-25.58%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.86%	-5.31%	-2.55%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.53%	-8.64%	-12.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.53%	-14.70%	-6.83%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-17.60%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.29%	-9.53%	+8.24%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.31%	-7.11%	-5.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.09%	2.01%	+0.08%

Volatility

WLDS.L vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison

iShares MSCI World Small Cap UCITS ETF (WLDS.L) has a higher volatility of 3.57% compared to iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) at 1.40%. This indicates that WLDS.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WLDS.L	AGG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.57%	1.40%	+2.17%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.49%	4.74%	+4.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.72%	6.22%	+6.50%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.28%	8.61%	+11.67%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.47%	9.82%	+12.65%

WLDS.L vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison

WLDS.L has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG's 0.03% expense ratio.

Dividends

WLDS.L vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison

WLDS.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while AGG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.00%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF	4.00%	3.89%	3.74%	3.13%	2.39%	1.77%	2.14%	2.70%	2.72%	2.32%	2.39%	2.45%
WLDS.L iShares MSCI World Small Cap 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 WLDS.L and AGG in my portfolio?

WLDS.L and AGG have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, WLDS.L or AGG?

On fees, AGG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, WLDS.L or AGG?

AGG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for WLDS.L.

What is the main difference between WLDS.L and AGG?

WLDS.L is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while AGG is Total Bond Market. WLDS.L tracks MSCI World Small Cap Inde, while AGG tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for WLDS.L and 0.03% for AGG.