XBI vs. IGLS.L
XBI (SPDR S&P Biotech ETF) and IGLS.L (iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist)) are both exchange-traded funds - XBI is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index, while IGLS.L is a European Government Bonds fund tracking the FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XBI returned 9.55%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for IGLS.L. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XBI charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IGLS.L.
Performance
XBI vs. IGLS.L - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
XBI is traded in USD, while IGLS.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the IGLS.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XBI achieves a 9.73% return, which is significantly higher than IGLS.L's 0.07% return. Over the past 10 years, XBI has outperformed IGLS.L with an annualized return of 9.55%, while IGLS.L has yielded a comparatively lower 0.39% annualized return.
XBI
- 1D
- 0.79%
- 1M
- -0.79%
- YTD
- 9.73%
- 6M
- 9.02%
- 1Y
- 60.62%
- 3Y*
- 14.23%
- 5Y*
- -0.20%
- 10Y*
- 9.55%
IGLS.L
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- 0.62%
- YTD
- 0.07%
- 6M
- 1.24%
- 1Y
- 1.87%
- 3Y*
- 6.74%
- 5Y*
- 0.31%
- 10Y*
- 0.39%
XBI vs. IGLS.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF | 9.73% | 35.89% | 1.01% | 7.60% | -25.87% | -20.45% | 48.33% | 32.56% | -15.28% | 43.77% |
IGLS.L iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist) | 0.07% | 13.20% | 0.94% | 9.69% | -14.66% | -2.57% | 4.59% | 5.11% | -5.53% | 9.10% |
Correlation
The correlation between XBI and IGLS.L is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 17, 2009 | 0.15 |
The correlation between XBI and IGLS.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.15 (all time) to 0.35 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XBI vs. IGLS.L — Risk / Return Rank
XBI
IGLS.L
XBI vs. IGLS.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) and iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist) (IGLS.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.
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.
| XBI | IGLS.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +2.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.80 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.04 | +0.33 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 6.12 | 0.25 | +5.87 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 18.07 | 0.58 | +17.49 |
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Drawdowns
XBI vs. IGLS.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XBI drawdown since its inception was -63.89%, which is greater than IGLS.L's maximum drawdown of -38.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XBI and IGLS.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XBI | IGLS.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.89% | -38.64% | -25.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.72% | -5.31% | -4.41% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -32.99% | -9.30% | -23.69% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -54.71% | -30.42% | -24.29% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -63.89% | -32.19% | -31.70% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -22.67% | -10.18% | -12.49% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.93% | -13.50% | -7.43% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.30% | 2.28% | +1.02% |
Volatility
XBI vs. IGLS.L - Volatility Comparison
SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) has a higher volatility of 10.39% compared to iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist) (IGLS.L) at 2.12%. This indicates that XBI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IGLS.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XBI | IGLS.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.39% | 2.12% | +8.27% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.76% | 5.46% | +15.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.09% | 7.32% | +18.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 32.21% | 9.34% | +22.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.01% | 9.55% | +22.46% |
XBI vs. IGLS.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
XBI has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is higher than IGLS.L's 0.07% expense ratio.
Dividends
XBI vs. IGLS.L - Dividend Comparison
XBI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.33%, less than IGLS.L's 3.97% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGLS.L iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF GBP (Dist) | 3.97% | 3.88% | 3.67% | 1.62% | 0.30% | 0.25% | 0.53% | 0.46% | 0.33% | 0.53% | 0.88% | 0.48% |
XBI SPDR S&P Biotech ETF | 0.33% | 0.37% | 0.15% | 0.02% | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.20% | 0.00% | 0.28% | 0.24% | 0.26% | 0.61% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XBI and IGLS.L have a correlation of 0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, IGLS.L is cheaper at 0.07% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
IGLS.L is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.35% for XBI.
XBI is categorized as Health & Biotech Equities, while IGLS.L is European Government Bonds. XBI tracks S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index, while IGLS.L tracks FTSE Act UK Cnvt Gilts All Stocks TR GBP. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for XBI and 0.07% for IGLS.L.
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