XLK vs. XGD.TO
XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF) and XGD.TO (iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLK is a Technology Equities fund tracking the S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index, while XGD.TO is a Gold fund tracking the S&P/TSX Global Gold Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XLK returned 25.19%/yr vs 13.24%/yr for XGD.TO. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XLK charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.61%/yr for XGD.TO.
Performance
XLK vs. XGD.TO - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
XLK is traded in USD, while XGD.TO is traded in CAD. To make them comparable, the XGD.TO values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLK achieves a 28.52% return, which is significantly higher than XGD.TO's -4.15% return. Over the past 10 years, XLK has outperformed XGD.TO with an annualized return of 25.19%, while XGD.TO has yielded a comparatively lower 13.24% annualized return.
XLK
- 1D
- 0.87%
- 1M
- 2.95%
- YTD
- 28.52%
- 6M
- 28.96%
- 1Y
- 55.42%
- 3Y*
- 30.28%
- 5Y*
- 22.02%
- 10Y*
- 25.19%
XGD.TO
- 1D
- 2.80%
- 1M
- -14.79%
- YTD
- -4.15%
- 6M
- -2.94%
- 1Y
- 52.19%
- 3Y*
- 39.77%
- 5Y*
- 17.63%
- 10Y*
- 13.24%
XLK vs. XGD.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 28.52% | 24.61% | 21.63% | 56.02% | -27.73% | 34.74% | 43.62% | 49.86% | -1.68% | 34.26% |
XGD.TO iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index ETF | -4.15% | 156.14% | 10.29% | 6.44% | -8.90% | -5.76% | 24.05% | 46.20% | -11.54% | 8.29% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLK and XGD.TO is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 12, 2006 | 0.14 |
The correlation between XLK and XGD.TO shifts across timeframes, from 0.11 (10 years) to 0.27 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLK vs. XGD.TO — Risk / Return Rank
XLK
XGD.TO
XLK vs. XGD.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) and iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index ETF (XGD.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.
| XLK | XGD.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.11 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.24 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.24 | +0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.36 | 1.63 | +1.73 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.85 | 4.62 | +6.23 |
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Drawdowns
XLK vs. XGD.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLK drawdown since its inception was -82.05%, roughly equal to the maximum XGD.TO drawdown of -80.30%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLK and XGD.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLK | XGD.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -82.05% | -80.30% | -1.75% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.92% | -34.40% | +18.48% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.66% | -34.40% | +8.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.56% | -44.90% | +11.34% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.56% | -47.12% | +13.56% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.77% | -29.14% | +22.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -34.93% | -40.83% | +5.90% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.92% | 12.14% | -7.22% |
Volatility
XLK vs. XGD.TO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) is 10.86%, while iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index ETF (XGD.TO) has a volatility of 16.18%. This indicates that XLK experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XGD.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLK | XGD.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.86% | 16.18% | -5.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.92% | 36.18% | -17.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.55% | 44.62% | -22.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.18% | 33.65% | -8.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.64% | 34.19% | -9.55% |
XLK vs. XGD.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLK has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than XGD.TO's 0.61% expense ratio.
Dividends
XLK vs. XGD.TO - Dividend Comparison
XLK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.41%, less than XGD.TO's 0.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XGD.TO iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index ETF | 0.64% | 0.62% | 0.93% | 1.49% | 1.77% | 1.38% | 0.35% | 0.54% | 0.25% | 0.14% | 0.10% | 0.57% |
XLK State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.41% | 0.54% | 0.66% | 0.76% | 1.04% | 0.65% | 0.92% | 1.16% | 1.60% | 1.37% | 1.74% | 1.79% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLK and XGD.TO have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XLK is cheaper at 0.08% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XLK is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.61% for XGD.TO.
XLK is categorized as Technology Equities, while XGD.TO is Gold. XLK tracks S&P Technology Select Sector Daily Capped 35/20 Index, while XGD.TO tracks S&P/TSX Global Gold Index. They also come from different issuers: State Street and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for XLK and 0.61% for XGD.TO.
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