XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO
XQB.TO (iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETF) and XUS.TO (iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XQB.TO is a Canadian Government Bonds fund tracking the Morningstar Can Core Bd GR CAD, while XUS.TO is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, XQB.TO returned 1.67%/yr vs 16.09%/yr for XUS.TO. At a 0.01 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. XQB.TO charges 0.13%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for XUS.TO.
Performance
XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XQB.TO achieves a 1.43% return, which is significantly lower than XUS.TO's 12.75% return. Over the past 10 years, XQB.TO has underperformed XUS.TO with an annualized return of 1.67%, while XUS.TO has yielded a comparatively higher 16.09% annualized return.
XQB.TO
- 1D
- -0.05%
- 1M
- 1.52%
- YTD
- 1.43%
- 6M
- 1.14%
- 1Y
- 2.76%
- 3Y*
- 4.39%
- 5Y*
- 0.95%
- 10Y*
- 1.67%
XUS.TO
- 1D
- 0.48%
- 1M
- 6.80%
- YTD
- 12.75%
- 6M
- 10.73%
- 1Y
- 30.32%
- 3Y*
- 23.75%
- 5Y*
- 16.89%
- 10Y*
- 16.09%
XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XQB.TO iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETF | 1.43% | 3.16% | 4.17% | 6.51% | -10.61% | -2.84% | 8.32% | 6.05% | 1.38% | 1.61% |
XUS.TO iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF | 12.75% | 12.19% | 35.16% | 23.31% | -12.59% | 27.20% | 15.56% | 24.57% | 3.31% | 13.56% |
Correlation
The correlation between XQB.TO and XUS.TO is 0.32, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 16, 2013 | 0.01 |
Over the past year, XQB.TO and XUS.TO have become more correlated (0.32) than their long-term average of 0.01, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO — Risk / Return Rank
XQB.TO
XUS.TO
XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETF (XQB.TO) and iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (XUS.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.
| XQB.TO | XUS.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.95 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.62 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.49 | -0.37 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.03 | 3.53 | -2.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.55 | 13.40 | -10.85 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| XQB.TO | XUS.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 | 2.63 | -1.95 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.16 | 1.14 | -0.97 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 0.98 | -0.69 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.53 | 1.08 | -0.55 |
Drawdowns
XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XQB.TO drawdown since its inception was -16.57%, smaller than the maximum XUS.TO drawdown of -27.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XQB.TO and XUS.TO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XQB.TO | XUS.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.57% | -27.23% | +10.66% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.70% | -8.63% | +5.93% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.25% | -18.96% | +14.71% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.59% | -21.85% | +7.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -16.57% | -27.23% | +10.66% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.55% | 0.00% | -0.55% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.07% | -3.46% | +0.39% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.09% | 2.27% | -1.18% |
Volatility
XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETF (XQB.TO) is 1.55%, while iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF (XUS.TO) has a volatility of 3.15%. This indicates that XQB.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than XUS.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XQB.TO | XUS.TO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.55% | 3.15% | -1.60% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.31% | 8.67% | -5.36% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.10% | 11.57% | -7.47% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.89% | 14.92% | -9.03% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.78% | 16.48% | -10.70% |
XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison
XQB.TO has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is higher than XUS.TO'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
XQB.TO vs. XUS.TO - Dividend Comparison
XQB.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.42%, more than XUS.TO's 1.12% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
XQB.TO iShares High Quality Canadian Bond Index ETF | 3.42% | 3.39% | 3.24% | 2.93% | 2.75% | 2.37% | 2.37% | 2.53% | 2.59% | 2.54% | 2.67% | 2.80% |
XUS.TO iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF | 1.12% | 1.26% | 1.03% | 1.22% | 1.38% | 0.99% | 1.35% | 2.02% | 1.77% | 1.48% | 1.66% | 1.70% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XQB.TO and XUS.TO have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
On fees, XUS.TO is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
XUS.TO is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.13% for XQB.TO.
XQB.TO is categorized as Canadian Government Bonds, while XUS.TO is S&P 500. XQB.TO tracks Morningstar Can Core Bd GR CAD, while XUS.TO tracks S&P 500 Index. Their fees differ too: 0.13% for XQB.TO and 0.09% for XUS.TO.
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