XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XMEU.L (Xtrackers MSCI Europe UCITS ETF 1C) and FBTU.L (First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating) are both exchange-traded funds - XMEU.L is a Europe Equities fund tracking the MSCI Europe NR EUR, while FBTU.L is a Health & Biotech Equities fund managed by First Trust. Over the past 5 years, XMEU.L returned 10.12%/yr vs 8.09%/yr for FBTU.L. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XMEU.L charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for FBTU.L.

Performance

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Xtrackers MSCI Europe UCITS ETF 1C (XMEU.L) and First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating (FBTU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

XMEU.L is traded in GBp, while FBTU.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the FBTU.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XMEU.L achieves a 6.81% return, which is significantly lower than FBTU.L's 9.17% return.

XMEU.L

• 1D: 0.54%
• 1M: 1.15%
• YTD: 6.81%
• 6M: 8.75%
• 1Y: 18.92%
• 3Y*: 13.78%
• 5Y*: 10.12%
• 10Y*: 10.17%

FBTU.L

• 1D: 4.34%
• 1M: 10.72%
• YTD: 9.17%
• 6M: 6.21%
• 1Y: 39.59%
• 3Y*: 10.43%
• 5Y*: 8.09%
• 10Y*: —

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

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
XMEU.L Xtrackers MSCI Europe UCITS ETF 1C	6.81%	25.81%	3.60%	13.26%	-3.48%	16.84%	14.49%
FBTU.L First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating	9.14%	16.97%	6.57%	-1.29%	5.22%	-2.86%	-6.09%

Correlation

The correlation between XMEU.L and FBTU.L is 0.44, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.44
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.44
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.45
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 1, 2020	0.44

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XMEU.L	FBTU.L
Financial Services	23.6%	-
Industrials	20.2%	-
Healthcare	13.3%	100.0%
Technology	8.7%	-
Consumer Defensive	8.0%	-
Consumer Cyclical	6.4%	-
Energy	5.4%	-
Basic Materials	5.0%	-
Utilities	4.8%	-
Communication Services	3.7%	-
Real Estate	0.8%	-

Return for Risk

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

XMEU.L

XMEU.L Risk / Return Rank: 44
XMEU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
XMEU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 46
XMEU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 49
XMEU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 38
XMEU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 42

FBTU.L

FBTU.L Risk / Return Rank: 52
FBTU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
FBTU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
FBTU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 49
FBTU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
FBTU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers MSCI Europe UCITS ETF 1C (XMEU.L) and First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating (FBTU.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.

	XMEU.L	FBTU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.60	1.86	-0.27
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.25	2.68	-0.44
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.30	1.31	-0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.84	2.85	-1.01
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.65	7.59	-0.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XMEU.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.60, which is comparable to the FBTU.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XMEU.L and FBTU.L, 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

	XMEU.L	FBTU.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.60	1.86	-0.27
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.73	0.40	+0.34
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.68	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	0.21	+0.22

Drawdowns

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XMEU.L drawdown since its inception was -44.27%, which is greater than FBTU.L's maximum drawdown of -30.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XMEU.L and FBTU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	XMEU.L	FBTU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-44.27%	-30.53%	-13.74%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.32%	-13.82%	+3.50%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.16%	-25.07%	+11.91%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.60%	-25.07%	+9.47%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-28.55%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.11%	0.00%	-1.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.88%	-13.57%	+7.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.86%	5.20%	-2.34%

Volatility

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xtrackers MSCI Europe UCITS ETF 1C (XMEU.L) is 3.78%, while First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating (FBTU.L) has a volatility of 7.39%. This indicates that XMEU.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FBTU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XMEU.L	FBTU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.78%	7.39%	-3.61%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.93%	16.04%	-6.11%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.90%	21.15%	-9.25%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.80%	20.44%	-6.64%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.86%	21.04%	-6.18%

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

XMEU.L has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than FBTU.L's 0.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

XMEU.L vs. FBTU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither XMEU.L nor FBTU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
FBTU.L First Trust NYSE Arca Biotechnology UCITS ETF Class A USD Accumulating	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
XMEU.L Xtrackers MSCI Europe UCITS ETF 1C	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.12%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XMEU.L and FBTU.L in my portfolio?

XMEU.L and FBTU.L have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XMEU.L or FBTU.L?

On fees, XMEU.L is cheaper at 0.12% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XMEU.L or FBTU.L?

XMEU.L is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.60% for FBTU.L.

What is the main difference between XMEU.L and FBTU.L?

XMEU.L is categorized as Europe Equities, while FBTU.L is Health & Biotech Equities. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for XMEU.L and 0.60% for FBTU.L.