XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

XWTS.L (Xtrackers MSCI World Communication Services UCITS ETF 1C) and GXLC.L (SPDR® S&P® U.S. Communication Services Select Sector UCITS ETF) are both Communications Equities funds tracking the MSCI World/Comm Services NR USD, from Xtrackers and State Street respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, XWTS.L returned 10.80%/yr vs 10.33%/yr for GXLC.L. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. XWTS.L charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for GXLC.L.

Performance

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xtrackers MSCI World Communication Services UCITS ETF 1C (XWTS.L) and SPDR® S&P® U.S. Communication Services Select Sector UCITS ETF (GXLC.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

XWTS.L is traded in USD, while GXLC.L is traded in GBP. To make them comparable, the GXLC.L values have been converted to USD using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XWTS.L achieves a 3.66% return, which is significantly higher than GXLC.L's 1.82% return.

XWTS.L

• 1D: 1.04%
• 1M: -1.36%
• YTD: 3.66%
• 6M: 3.22%
• 1Y: 24.71%
• 3Y*: 26.85%
• 5Y*: 10.80%
• 10Y*: 10.80%

GXLC.L

• 1D: 1.60%
• 1M: -2.86%
• YTD: 1.82%
• 6M: 1.93%
• 1Y: 20.97%
• 3Y*: 25.34%
• 5Y*: 10.33%
• 10Y*: —

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

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
XWTS.L Xtrackers MSCI World Communication Services UCITS ETF 1C	3.66%	28.97%	34.65%	47.43%	-37.76%	16.03%	22.50%	26.25%	-6.04%
GXLC.L SPDR® S&P® U.S. Communication Services Select Sector UCITS ETF	1.82%	27.99%	31.37%	52.71%	-37.29%	17.82%	26.59%	30.42%	-13.76%

Correlation

The correlation between XWTS.L and GXLC.L is 0.90, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.90
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.90
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.92
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 20, 2018	0.90

The correlation between XWTS.L and GXLC.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	XWTS.L	GXLC.L
Communication Services	96.6%	100.0%
Technology	1.9%	-
Consumer Cyclical	0.1%	-
Real Estate	0.1%	-
Basic Materials	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Energy	-	-
Financial Services	-	-
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

XWTS.L

XWTS.L Risk / Return Rank: 50
XWTS.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 50
XWTS.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
XWTS.L Omega Ratio Rank: 47
XWTS.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 45
XWTS.L Martin Ratio Rank: 52

GXLC.L

GXLC.L Risk / Return Rank: 50
GXLC.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 48
GXLC.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
GXLC.L Omega Ratio Rank: 44
GXLC.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
GXLC.L Martin Ratio Rank: 54

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.

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers MSCI World Communication Services UCITS ETF 1C (XWTS.L) and SPDR® S&P® U.S. Communication Services Select Sector UCITS ETF (GXLC.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.

	XWTS.L	GXLC.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.69	1.50	+0.19
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.59	2.27	+0.33
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.26	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.17	2.04	+0.13
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.66	7.66	+1.00
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XWTS.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.69, which is comparable to the GXLC.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.50. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XWTS.L and GXLC.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

	XWTS.L	GXLC.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.69	1.50	+0.19
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.57	0.54	+0.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.60	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.61	0.70	-0.09

Drawdowns

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XWTS.L drawdown since its inception was -44.71%, roughly equal to the maximum GXLC.L drawdown of -45.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XWTS.L and GXLC.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	XWTS.L	GXLC.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-44.71%	-45.02%	+0.31%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.35%	-10.23%	-1.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.95%	-17.72%	-1.23%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-44.71%	-45.02%	+0.31%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-44.71%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.20%	-4.61%	+1.41%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.84%	-9.89%	+1.05%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.85%	2.73%	+0.12%

Volatility

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xtrackers MSCI World Communication Services UCITS ETF 1C (XWTS.L) is 4.13%, while SPDR® S&P® U.S. Communication Services Select Sector UCITS ETF (GXLC.L) has a volatility of 4.41%. This indicates that XWTS.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GXLC.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XWTS.L	GXLC.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.13%	4.41%	-0.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.57%	10.26%	+0.31%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.57%	13.94%	+0.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.07%	19.08%	-0.01%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.97%	19.81%	-1.84%

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

XWTS.L has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than GXLC.L's 0.15% 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

XWTS.L vs. GXLC.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither XWTS.L nor GXLC.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both XWTS.L and GXLC.L in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.90, XWTS.L and GXLC.L move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which ETF is better, XWTS.L or GXLC.L?

On fees, GXLC.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, XWTS.L or GXLC.L?

GXLC.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for XWTS.L.

What is the main difference between XWTS.L and GXLC.L?

Both ETFs track MSCI World/Comm Services NR USD. They also come from different issuers: Xtrackers and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for XWTS.L and 0.15% for GXLC.L.