XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XSPX.L (Xtrackers S&P 500 Swap UCITS ETF 1C) and ICSU.L (iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) are both exchange-traded funds - XSPX.L is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while ICSU.L is a Consumer Staples Equities fund tracking the S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Consumer Staples Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XSPX.L returned 15.05%/yr vs 7.91%/yr for ICSU.L. A 0.52 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.15% expense ratio.

Performance

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Xtrackers S&P 500 Swap UCITS ETF 1C (XSPX.L) and iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XSPX.L achieves a 10.56% return, which is significantly higher than ICSU.L's 6.60% return.

XSPX.L

• 1D: -0.01%
• 1M: 4.53%
• YTD: 10.56%
• 6M: 9.85%
• 1Y: 29.08%
• 3Y*: 19.11%
• 5Y*: 15.05%
• 10Y*: 16.30%

ICSU.L

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: -1.75%
• YTD: 6.60%
• 6M: 5.01%
• 1Y: 4.82%
• 3Y*: 5.52%
• 5Y*: 7.91%
• 10Y*: —

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

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XSPX.L Xtrackers S&P 500 Swap UCITS ETF 1C	10.56%	9.46%	27.43%	19.97%	-8.90%	31.28%	13.93%	26.82%	0.30%	7.75%
ICSU.L iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	6.60%	-3.20%	16.26%	-5.83%	11.78%	19.63%	5.64%	22.78%	-3.96%	-2.26%

Correlation

The correlation between XSPX.L and ICSU.L is -0.01, 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	-0.01
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.24
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 23, 2017	0.52

The correlation between XSPX.L and ICSU.L shifts across timeframes, from -0.01 (1 year) to 0.52 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XSPX.L	ICSU.L
Technology	35.6%	-
Financial Services	11.8%	-
Communication Services	11.2%	-
Consumer Cyclical	10.1%	1.0%
Healthcare	8.5%	-
Industrials	8.3%	-
Consumer Defensive	4.9%	99.0%
Energy	3.5%	-
Utilities	2.4%	-
Real Estate	1.9%	-
Basic Materials	1.8%	-

Return for Risk

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

XSPX.L

XSPX.L Risk / Return Rank: 82
XSPX.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
XSPX.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 84
XSPX.L Omega Ratio Rank: 86
XSPX.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
XSPX.L Martin Ratio Rank: 76

ICSU.L

ICSU.L Risk / Return Rank: 13
ICSU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 12
ICSU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
ICSU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 13

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.

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers S&P 500 Swap UCITS ETF 1C (XSPX.L) and iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.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.

	XSPX.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.76	0.22	+2.54
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.69	0.43	+3.26
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.52	1.05	+0.47
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.98	0.34	+3.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	14.33	0.82	+13.51
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XSPX.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.76, which is higher than the ICSU.L Sharpe Ratio of 0.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XSPX.L and ICSU.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

	XSPX.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.76	0.22	+2.54
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.05	0.59	+0.47
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	1.05	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.99	0.48	+0.52

Drawdowns

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XSPX.L drawdown since its inception was -25.50%, which is greater than ICSU.L's maximum drawdown of -18.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XSPX.L and ICSU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	XSPX.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.50%	-18.54%	-6.96%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.28%	-9.24%	+1.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.09%	-11.59%	-9.50%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.09%	-13.70%	-7.39%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.50%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.23%	-7.40%	+7.17%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.37%	-4.93%	+1.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.03%	3.87%	-1.84%

Volatility

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xtrackers S&P 500 Swap UCITS ETF 1C (XSPX.L) is 2.62%, while iShares S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (ICSU.L) has a volatility of 6.57%. This indicates that XSPX.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ICSU.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XSPX.L	ICSU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.62%	6.57%	-3.95%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.15%	11.97%	-4.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.49%	14.37%	-3.88%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.28%	13.45%	+0.83%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.53%	14.31%	+1.22%

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both XSPX.L and ICSU.L have an expense ratio of 0.15%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

XSPX.L vs. ICSU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither XSPX.L nor ICSU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XSPX.L and ICSU.L in my portfolio?

XSPX.L and ICSU.L have a correlation of -0.01, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, XSPX.L or ICSU.L?

Both ETFs have the same 0.15% expense ratio. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XSPX.L or ICSU.L?

XSPX.L and ICSU.L have the same expense ratio: 0.15% per year.

What is the main difference between XSPX.L and ICSU.L?

XSPX.L is categorized as S&P 500, while ICSU.L is Consumer Staples Equities. XSPX.L tracks S&P 500 Index, while ICSU.L tracks S&P 500 Capped 35/20 Consumer Staples Index. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and iShares.