XLU vs. BCI
XLU (State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF) and BCI (abrdn Bloomberg All Commodity Strategy K-1 Free ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XLU is a Utilities Equities fund tracking the Utilities Select Sector Index, while BCI is a Commodities fund tracking the Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XLU returned 10.41%/yr vs 9.82%/yr for BCI. At a 0.10 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XLU charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.26%/yr for BCI.
Performance
XLU vs. BCI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XLU achieves a 6.16% return, which is significantly lower than BCI's 16.69% return.
XLU
- 1D
- 0.55%
- 1M
- -0.76%
- YTD
- 6.16%
- 6M
- 6.71%
- 1Y
- 14.60%
- 3Y*
- 14.60%
- 5Y*
- 10.41%
- 10Y*
- 9.26%
BCI
- 1D
- -0.65%
- 1M
- -8.66%
- YTD
- 16.69%
- 6M
- 16.52%
- 1Y
- 22.05%
- 3Y*
- 11.86%
- 5Y*
- 9.82%
- 10Y*
- —
XLU vs. BCI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 6.16% | 16.03% | 23.31% | -7.18% | 1.44% | 17.70% | 0.51% | 25.93% | 3.94% | 5.68% |
BCI abrdn Bloomberg All Commodity Strategy K-1 Free ETF | 16.69% | 15.07% | 5.47% | -8.79% | 15.09% | 26.18% | -2.77% | 7.06% | -11.21% | 3.81% |
Correlation
The correlation between XLU and BCI is -0.02, 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 | -0.02 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 31, 2017 | 0.10 |
The correlation between XLU and BCI shifts across timeframes, from -0.02 (1 year) to 0.13 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
XLU vs. BCI — Risk / Return Rank
XLU
BCI
XLU vs. BCI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) and abrdn Bloomberg All Commodity Strategy K-1 Free ETF (BCI). 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.
| XLU | BCI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.29 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.24 | -0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.60 | 1.84 | -0.24 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.39 | 6.82 | -3.43 |
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Drawdowns
XLU vs. BCI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XLU drawdown since its inception was -51.98%, which is greater than BCI's maximum drawdown of -32.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XLU and BCI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XLU | BCI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.98% | -32.69% | -19.29% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.18% | -12.04% | +2.86% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.26% | -12.04% | -5.22% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.26% | -26.50% | +1.24% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.07% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.05% | -12.04% | +6.99% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.22% | -11.98% | +1.76% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.31% | 3.56% | +0.75% |
Volatility
XLU vs. BCI - Volatility Comparison
State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU) has a higher volatility of 5.26% compared to abrdn Bloomberg All Commodity Strategy K-1 Free ETF (BCI) at 3.49%. This indicates that XLU's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BCI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XLU | BCI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.26% | 3.49% | +1.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.72% | 14.94% | -3.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.70% | 17.18% | -2.48% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.31% | 16.79% | +0.52% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.28% | 15.65% | +3.63% |
XLU vs. BCI - Expense Ratio Comparison
XLU has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than BCI's 0.26% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
XLU vs. BCI - Dividend Comparison
XLU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.30%, less than BCI's 14.13% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BCI abrdn Bloomberg All Commodity Strategy K-1 Free ETF | 14.13% | 16.49% | 3.29% | 3.93% | 19.98% | 19.43% | 0.68% | 1.47% | 1.13% | 5.02% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XLU State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF | 3.30% | 2.71% | 2.96% | 3.39% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 3.14% | 2.95% | 3.33% | 3.33% | 3.41% | 3.67% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XLU and BCI have a correlation of -0.02, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
XLU has higher volatility (5.26%) compared to BCI (3.49%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XLU dropped -51.98% vs BCI's -32.69%.
On 5-year performance, XLU leads with 10.41% vs 9.82% for BCI. On fees, XLU is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, BCI has been the lower-risk option at 3.49%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, XLU has performed better with a 10.41% return vs 9.82%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XLU is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.26% for BCI.
BCI has the higher dividend yield at 14.13%, compared with 3.30% for XLU.
XLU is categorized as Utilities Equities, while BCI is Commodities. XLU tracks Utilities Select Sector Index, while BCI tracks Bloomberg Commodity Index Total Return. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Aberdeen. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for XLU and 0.26% for BCI.
BCI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.29 vs 1.00), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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