XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO
XCH.TO (iShares China Index ETF) and XSTB.TO (iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XCH.TO is a China Equities fund tracking the Morningstar China GR CAD, while XSTB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the Morningstar Can 1-5Y Core Bd GR CAD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XCH.TO returned -0.72%/yr vs 1.96%/yr for XSTB.TO. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XCH.TO charges 0.87%/yr vs 0.17%/yr for XSTB.TO.
Performance
XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XCH.TO achieves a -6.21% return, which is significantly lower than XSTB.TO's 1.09% return.
XCH.TO
- 1D
- 1.21%
- 1M
- -3.47%
- YTD
- -6.21%
- 6M
- -7.43%
- 1Y
- 1.29%
- 3Y*
- 11.77%
- 5Y*
- -0.72%
- 10Y*
- 3.62%
XSTB.TO
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.64%
- YTD
- 1.09%
- 6M
- 1.39%
- 1Y
- 3.07%
- 3Y*
- 4.74%
- 5Y*
- 1.96%
- 10Y*
- —
XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XCH.TO iShares China Index ETF | -6.21% | 22.48% | 39.50% | -14.76% | -15.40% | -20.56% | 7.17% | -2.77% |
XSTB.TO iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF | 1.09% | 3.60% | 5.28% | 4.86% | -3.91% | -1.12% | 4.95% | 1.59% |
Correlation
The correlation between XCH.TO and XSTB.TO is 0.12, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 18, 2019 | 0.01 |
The correlation between XCH.TO and XSTB.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.01 (all time) to 0.12 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO — Risk / Return Rank
XCH.TO
XSTB.TO
XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares China Index ETF (XCH.TO) and iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (XSTB.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.
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.
| XCH.TO | XSTB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.68 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.20 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.33 | -0.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.05 | 2.28 | -2.33 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.09 | 6.93 | -7.02 |
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Drawdowns
XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XCH.TO drawdown since its inception was -58.02%, which is greater than XSTB.TO's maximum drawdown of -6.92%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XCH.TO and XSTB.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XCH.TO | XSTB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.02% | -6.92% | -51.10% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.51% | -1.35% | -15.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.28% | -1.35% | -25.93% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -50.32% | -6.76% | -43.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -58.02% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -21.70% | -0.04% | -21.66% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -20.40% | -1.40% | -19.00% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.55% | 0.44% | +8.11% |
Volatility
XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO - Volatility Comparison
iShares China Index ETF (XCH.TO) has a higher volatility of 5.94% compared to iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF (XSTB.TO) at 0.68%. This indicates that XCH.TO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XSTB.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XCH.TO | XSTB.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.94% | 0.68% | +5.26% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.42% | 1.45% | +11.97% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.18% | 1.88% | +17.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.79% | 2.54% | +27.25% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.71% | 2.71% | +23.00% |
XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
XCH.TO has a 0.87% expense ratio, which is higher than XSTB.TO's 0.17% expense ratio.
Dividends
XCH.TO vs. XSTB.TO - Dividend Comparison
XCH.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.25%, less than XSTB.TO's 2.87% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XCH.TO iShares China Index ETF | 2.25% | 2.11% | 1.54% | 2.86% | 2.35% | 1.51% | 2.17% | 2.50% | 2.45% | 2.41% | 2.21% | 2.58% |
XSTB.TO iShares ESG Aware Canadian Short Term Bond Index ETF | 2.87% | 2.88% | 2.64% | 2.22% | 1.93% | 1.82% | 2.10% | 1.83% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XCH.TO and XSTB.TO have a correlation of 0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XSTB.TO is cheaper at 0.17% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XSTB.TO is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 0.87% for XCH.TO.
XCH.TO is categorized as China Equities, while XSTB.TO is Canadian Government Bonds. XCH.TO tracks Morningstar China GR CAD, while XSTB.TO tracks Morningstar Can 1-5Y Core Bd GR CAD. Their fees differ too: 0.87% for XCH.TO and 0.17% for XSTB.TO.
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