XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

XEF-U.TO (iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF) and IEMG (iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XEF-U.TO is a Global Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE® Investable Market Index, while IEMG is a Emerging Markets Diversified fund tracking the MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XEF-U.TO returned 7.17%/yr vs 7.58%/yr for IEMG. At a 0.39 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XEF-U.TO charges 0.21%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for IEMG.

Performance

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF-U.TO) and iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XEF-U.TO achieves a 8.45% return, which is significantly lower than IEMG's 26.21% return.

XEF-U.TO

• 1D: -0.76%
• 1M: 3.58%
• YTD: 8.45%
• 6M: 10.90%
• 1Y: 20.77%
• 3Y*: 15.95%
• 5Y*: 7.17%
• 10Y*: —

IEMG

• 1D: -1.34%
• 1M: 7.97%
• YTD: 26.21%
• 6M: 28.63%
• 1Y: 52.58%
• 3Y*: 23.55%
• 5Y*: 7.58%
• 10Y*: 10.41%

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

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
XEF-U.TO iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF	8.45%	31.24%	2.23%	15.90%	-15.58%	10.81%	10.61%	1.79%
IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	26.21%	32.56%	6.50%	11.52%	-19.98%	-0.64%	17.87%	7.17%

Correlation

The correlation between XEF-U.TO and IEMG is 0.69, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.69
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.52
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.44
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 30, 2019	0.39

Over the past year, XEF-U.TO and IEMG have become more correlated (0.69) than their long-term average of 0.39, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG — Risk / Return Rank

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

XEF-U.TO

XEF-U.TO Risk / Return Rank: 38
XEF-U.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
XEF-U.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
XEF-U.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 38
XEF-U.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 36
XEF-U.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 42

IEMG

IEMG Risk / Return Rank: 79
IEMG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
IEMG Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
IEMG Omega Ratio Rank: 81
IEMG Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
IEMG Martin Ratio Rank: 78

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.

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF-U.TO) and iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG). 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.

	XEF-U.TO	IEMG	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.38	2.72	-1.34
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.96	3.53	-1.56
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.50	-0.24
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.80	4.00	-2.19
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.90	15.38	-8.48
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XEF-U.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.38, which is lower than the IEMG Sharpe Ratio of 2.72. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XEF-U.TO and IEMG, 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

	XEF-U.TO	IEMG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.38	2.72	-1.34
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.53	0.41	+0.11
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.52	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.68	0.35	+0.33

Drawdowns

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XEF-U.TO drawdown since its inception was -33.72%, smaller than the maximum IEMG drawdown of -38.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XEF-U.TO and IEMG.

Drawdown Indicators

	XEF-U.TO	IEMG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.72%	-38.71%	+4.99%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.67%	-13.21%	+1.54%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.48%	-17.21%	+3.73%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.18%	-35.83%	+4.65%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-38.71%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.58%	-1.34%	-0.24%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.61%	-12.97%	+7.36%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.03%	3.43%	-0.40%

Volatility

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF-U.TO) is 5.01%, while iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) has a volatility of 8.31%. This indicates that XEF-U.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEMG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XEF-U.TO	IEMG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.01%	8.31%	-3.30%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.61%	16.93%	-4.32%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.24%	19.43%	-4.19%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.28%	18.38%	+2.90%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.41%	20.03%	+4.38%

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG - Expense Ratio Comparison

XEF-U.TO has a 0.21% expense ratio, which is higher than IEMG's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

XEF-U.TO vs. IEMG - Dividend Comparison

XEF-U.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.63%, less than IEMG's 2.18% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IEMG iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF	2.18%	2.75%	3.20%	2.89%	2.71%	3.06%	1.87%	3.15%	2.76%	2.35%	2.28%	2.53%
XEF-U.TO iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF	1.63%	1.77%	2.05%	2.09%	2.27%	1.94%	1.41%	0.77%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XEF-U.TO and IEMG in my portfolio?

XEF-U.TO and IEMG have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XEF-U.TO or IEMG?

On fees, IEMG is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XEF-U.TO or IEMG?

IEMG is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.21% for XEF-U.TO.

What is the main difference between XEF-U.TO and IEMG?

XEF-U.TO is categorized as Global Equities, while IEMG is Emerging Markets Diversified. XEF-U.TO tracks MSCI EAFE® Investable Market Index, while IEMG tracks MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index. Their fees differ too: 0.21% for XEF-U.TO and 0.09% for IEMG.