# How Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/rsp
> Data as of October 20, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on RSP alone. It places RSP (Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF) against 20+ popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where RSP stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: RSP's full trading record, from May 2003 through September 2026. The crash tests reach back to 2000 using older funds and the S&P 500. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

## Key findings

- **Right now:** Over the past 6 months, RSP rose 6.7% against 9.1% for the S&P 500 and 11.2% for the Nasdaq 100. That said, both RSP and the S&P 500 are within a few percent of a record high.
- **Fund or market?:** RSP rose 2.0% over the past 3 months, in line with the S&P 500, which rose 3.9%: a market move, not its own.
- **Long term:** RSP turned $10,000 into $31,100 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500.
- **In a crash:** The Covid crash took 39.0% off RSP, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. That was more than VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, 34.0%) but less than EQAL (Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF, 40.2%). RSP fell further than the S&P 500 in two of the last three sell-offs, including the Covid crash (39.0% against 33.7%).
- **Diversification:** Against the S&P 500, RSP has a correlation of 0.90 over 5 years, more closely than 82% of ETFs with at least $100 million in assets. Next to an index fund it is more of the same, not a cushion. When the S&P 500 had a down month, RSP usually fell with it (20 of 22 months).
- **Better options**
  - **Popular alternatives:** QUS (State Street SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF), FNDX (Schwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF) and DIA (State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust) earned more than RSP with less volatility over the past 5 years. QUS returned 11.1% a year at 14.2% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.1%.
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** MGV (Vanguard Morningstar Mega Cap Value ETF, US large-cap value) earned more than RSP with less volatility over the past 5 years: 12.6% a year at 13.4% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.1%.
  - **Whole market:** 95 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than RSP with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them VTV (Vanguard Morningstar Value ETF), VIG (Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF).

## How much would $10,000 in RSP have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in RSP over the past 20 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of RSP over the same span and RSP's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period.

- $10,000 invested in RSP at the end of September 2006 would have grown to $68,025 by September 2026, less than the $82,294 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- Five of the eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of RSP, and IVW finished highest, at $117,664.

## RSP at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the fund, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout.

- RSP's deepest decline since it began trading in 2003 was 59.9%, from July 2007 to March 2009. It took 23 months from the low to climb back to its old high.
- Over 22 full calendar years, RSP's best was 2009, when it returned 44.7%, and its worst was 2008, when it lost 40.0%. It lost money in four of those years.
- RSP is 2.7% below its all-time high.

- Type: ETF, Broad Market (Asset Management - Global)
- Trading since: May 1, 2003
- Assets: $98B
- Expense ratio: 0.20%
- Volatility (5 years): 16.1%; Sharpe ratio: 0.57
- Worst decline ever: −59.9%, from July 19, 2007 to March 9, 2009; back at its high by February 7, 2011

| Period | RSP total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | +1.5% |
| 3 months | +2.0% |
| 6 months | +6.7% |
| year to date | +13.3% |
| 1 year | +15.5% |
| 3 years | +65.4% |
| 5 years | +48.6% |
| 10 years | +211% |

## RSP against the whole market

Where RSP ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

### How does RSP rank among all ETFs?

This section ranks RSP on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every ETF worth at least $100 million with enough history.

- RSP lands in the broad middle of the market on every measure here. RSP's 10-year return ranks in the top 27% of the 958 ETFs with at least $100 million in assets with 10 years of history.

| Measure | RSP | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | +15.5% | 766 of 2,485 (top 31%) |
| 3-year return | +65.4% | 883 of 1,949 (top 46%) |
| 5-year return | +48.6% | 702 of 1,560 (top 45%) |
| 10-year return | +211% | 255 of 958 (top 27%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 16.1% | 711 of 1,560 (top 46%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.57 | 769 of 1,560 (top 50%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −39.0% | 495 of 951 (top 53%) |

### What has beaten RSP on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer).

- 95 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than RSP over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 3% of the 3,633 screened.
- Among those with at least half RSP's swings, LVHI has the best return for its risk: 17.0% a year at 11.1% volatility, 31% less than RSP's 16.1%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.48 against 0.57 for RSP.
- Among RSP's popular alternatives, FNDX, PRF and QUS are in the region. FNDX earned 13.5% a year against 8.2% a year for RSP, at 14.9% volatility, 7% less than RSP's 16.1%.

### Is there a better investment than RSP?

The table below lists investments that beat RSP over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes, and, for funds, the same exposure at a lower expense ratio.

- Among RSP's popular alternatives, QUS, FNDX and DIA earned more than RSP with less volatility over the past 5 years. QUS returned 11.1% a year at 14.2% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.1%.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, MGV (US large-cap value) earned more than RSP with less volatility over the past 5 years: 12.6% a year at 13.4% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.1%.
- Across the whole market, 95 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than RSP with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them VTV, VIG and SCHD.

The 15 strongest of 95 investments that beat RSP over the past 5 years, out of 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million.

| Investment | Group | Annual return (5 years) | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline (10 years) | 10Y return | Correlation with RSP | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RSP: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (this page) |  | +8.2% | 16.1% | 0.57 | −39.0% | +211% |  |  |
| [SCHD](https://easycompare.io/research/schd): Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | US Dividend Equity | +9.7% | 14.3% | 0.72 | −33.4% | +252% | 0.88 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | International Equity | +17.0% | 11.1% | 1.48 | −32.4% | +194% | 0.74 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [VIG](https://easycompare.io/research/vig): Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF | US Dividend Equity | +10.4% | 14.1% | 0.78 | −31.7% | +258% | 0.96 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| VONV: Vanguard Russell 1000 Value ETF | US Large-Cap Value | +11.5% | 14.7% | 0.82 | −38.2% | +208% | 0.98 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods; Same exposure, lower expense ratio |
| SCHY: Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF | International | +9.5% | 13.3% | 0.75 | −24.0% | — | 0.75 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| QDPL: Pacer Metaurus US Large Cap Dividend Multiplier 400 ETF | Dividend & Income | +11.8% | 15.0% | 0.82 | −22.6% | — | 0.89 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| QUS: State Street SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF | Broad Market | +11.1% | 14.2% | 0.81 | −33.8% | +273% | 0.95 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| PTNQ: Pacer Trendpilot 100 ETF | Technology | +9.7% | 14.1% | 0.73 | −28.1% | +305% | 0.52 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| FTQI: First Trust Nasdaq BuyWrite Income ETF | Dividend & Income | +11.5% | 14.8% | 0.82 | −19.4% | +121% | 0.79 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| IWX: iShares Russell Top 200 Value ETF | Broad Market | +12.7% | 13.8% | 0.94 | −35.8% | +221% | 0.95 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods; Smaller losses in recent crashes |
| SIXA: ETC 6 Meridian Mega Cap Equity ETF | Broad Market | +12.8% | 12.7% | 1.01 | −18.4% | — | 0.92 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| VYMI: Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF | International Equity | +13.2% | 14.8% | 0.92 | −40.0% | +176% | 0.81 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF | US Dividend Equity | +12.9% | 13.0% | 1.00 | −37.0% | +172% | 0.80 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher return in most periods |
| PJUL: Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF | Broad Market | +10.5% | 8.6% | 1.20 | −18.2% | — | 0.87 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| FJAN: FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - January | Multi-Asset | +11.1% | 10.5% | 1.05 | −13.6% | — | 0.85 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |

## RSP against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against RSP, compared period by period and year by year.

### How do RSP's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings.

- Four of the 15 popular alternatives, led by FNDX, PRF and QUS, were both more rewarding and calmer than RSP over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- Over the past 5 years, RSP returned 8.2% a year, less than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with lower volatility (16.1% against 17.1%).

### Has RSP consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares RSP with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years.

- Three of the 21 popular alternatives, QUAL, FNDX and PRF, outperformed RSP in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- QUAL, FNDX and PRF outperformed RSP in every long-term period and in all but one short-term period, the most consistent record in the group.
- FNDX, PRF and QUS earned more for the risk they took than RSP (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.

| Investment | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return | 10Y return | Periods ahead of RSP | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RSP: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (this page) | +15.5% | +65.4% | +48.6% | +211% |  |  | 0.57 |
| [QUAL](https://easycompare.io/research/qual): iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | +16.4% | +76.9% | +71.5% | +293% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.71 |
| FNDX: Schwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF | +25.4% | +88.2% | +88.6% | +291% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.93 |
| PRF: Invesco RAFI US 1000 ETF | +25.5% | +90.1% | +84.3% | +270% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.90 |
| [SPYM](https://easycompare.io/research/spym): State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF | +15.9% | +89.8% | +82.5% | +324% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.80 |
| [VV](https://easycompare.io/research/vv): Vanguard Morningstar Large-Cap ETF | +15.4% | +90.6% | +78.8% | +324% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.76 |
| [VOO](https://easycompare.io/research/voo): Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | +15.8% | +89.7% | +82.3% | +324% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.80 |
| [IVV](https://easycompare.io/research/ivv): iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | +15.8% | +89.7% | +82.3% | +324% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.80 |
| [SPY](https://easycompare.io/research/spy): State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | +15.8% | +89.3% | +81.7% | +321% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.79 |
| [SCHX](https://easycompare.io/research/schx): Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF | +15.1% | +89.1% | +76.6% | +317% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.75 |
| VONE: Vanguard Russell 1000 ETF | +15.2% | +88.5% | +75.9% | +312% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.75 |
| [IWB](https://easycompare.io/research/iwb): iShares Russell 1000 ETF | +15.1% | +87.7% | +75.1% | +309% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.74 |
| GSLC: Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF | +14.0% | +83.5% | +73.1% | +297% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.74 |
| QUS: State Street SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF | +15.9% | +71.9% | +69.3% | +273% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.81 |
| [DIA](https://easycompare.io/research/dia): State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust | +13.9% | +66.1% | +60.6% | +250% | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.72 |
| [IWM](https://easycompare.io/research/iwm): iShares Russell 2000 ETF | +12.3% | +71.3% | +29.0% | +158% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.34 |
| [VXUS](https://easycompare.io/research/vxus): Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | +14.6% | +77.2% | +48.6% | +140% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.57 |
| USMV: iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | +9.7% | +49.7% | +44.4% | +176% | 3/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.66 |
| EUSA: iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | +12.9% | +65.3% | +40.3% | +198% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.49 |
| [IJH](https://easycompare.io/research/ijh): iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF | +13.5% | +59.4% | +41.4% | +178% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.45 |
| EQAL: Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF | +14.3% | +61.4% | +36.4% | +171% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.45 |
| [AGG](https://easycompare.io/research/agg): iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | −1.9% | +16.2% | −1.5% | +13.3% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.02 |

### How did RSP do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2004, along with where RSP ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- RSP finished ahead of the S&P 500 in nine of its 22 full calendar years, and behind it in each of the last three.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, RSP finished in the top quarter in seven of 22 years and in the bottom quarter in one. In 2025, it ranked 11 of 16.
- Among its popular alternatives, GSLC came out ahead of RSP most often, in seven of the ten years both traded.

| Year | RSP | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | +11.2% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +12.8% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | +13.7% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | −11.6% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | +29.4% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | +12.7% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +28.9% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | −7.8% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | +18.5% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | +14.5% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How RSP has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

### What were RSP's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high.

- In four of RSP's five worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- The longest climb back to a previous high took 23 months, after RSP fell 59.9% from July 2007 to March 2009.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −59.9% | July 19, 2007 | March 9, 2009 | February 7, 2011 | −54.6% | 2008 financial crisis |
| −39.0% | February 12, 2020 | March 23, 2020 | November 9, 2020 | −33.5% | Covid crash |
| −22.7% | July 7, 2011 | October 3, 2011 | March 13, 2012 | −18.4% | 2011 euro debt crisis |
| −21.4% | January 4, 2022 | September 30, 2022 | January 29, 2024 | −24.3% | 2022 bear market |
| −19.8% | September 21, 2018 | December 24, 2018 | April 5, 2019 | −19.3% | late-2018 sell-off |

### How did RSP do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far RSP, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000.

- RSP fell further than the S&P 500 in six of the nine crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the Covid crash, when RSP fell 39.0% and the S&P 500 fell 33.7%.
- Among its popular alternatives, AGG held up best, falling less than RSP in all nine crashes they both traded through.

| Crash | Dates | RSP fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | not trading | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | −59.1% | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | −1.6% | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | −21.3% | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | −14.8% | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −6.1% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −19.8% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −39.0% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −21.4% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −5.4% | −3.4% |

### How closely does RSP move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell.

- Nine of the 15 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than RSP's 0.86, led by VV, SCHX and QUS.
- QUS took just 90% of the S&P 500's losses, against 107% for RSP, while still keeping 90% of its gains.
- Over the past 10 years, RSP captured 92% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 107% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 1.01. Its share of the market's losses was larger than its share of the gains.

Measured over the past 10 years of monthly returns against SPY.

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| RSP: Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (this page) | 92.0% | 107% | 1.01 |
| [QUAL](https://easycompare.io/research/qual): iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF | 98.0% | 102% | 1.00 |
| FNDX: Schwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF | 95.0% | 98.0% | 0.97 |
| PRF: Invesco RAFI US 1000 ETF | 93.0% | 98.0% | 0.97 |
| [VV](https://easycompare.io/research/vv): Vanguard Morningstar Large-Cap ETF | 101% | 101% | 1.01 |
| [SCHX](https://easycompare.io/research/schx): Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF | 100% | 101% | 1.01 |
| GSLC: Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF | 97.0% | 99.0% | 0.98 |
| QUS: State Street SPDR MSCI USA StrategicFactors ETF | 90.0% | 90.0% | 0.88 |
| [DIA](https://easycompare.io/research/dia): State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust | 92.0% | 99.0% | 0.93 |
| [IWM](https://easycompare.io/research/iwm): iShares Russell 2000 ETF | 98.0% | 129% | 1.17 |
| [VXUS](https://easycompare.io/research/vxus): Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | 76.0% | 91.0% | 0.82 |
| USMV: iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF | 70.0% | 75.0% | 0.70 |
| EUSA: iShares MSCI USA Equal Weighted ETF | 93.0% | 112% | 1.05 |
| [IJH](https://easycompare.io/research/ijh): iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF | 93.0% | 115% | 1.10 |
| EQAL: Invesco Russell 1000 Equal Weight ETF | 90.0% | 113% | 1.04 |
| [AGG](https://easycompare.io/research/agg): iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 12.0% | 17.0% | 0.14 |

### What diversifies RSP?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions).

- Moving a fifth of the money in RSP into DBMF would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 22% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (+8.6% for RSP alone, +9.3% for the mix).
- Among large ETFs, GLD, XLE and DBMF have moved largely independently of RSP over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.47 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.
- Among large stocks, CAH, CLS and MCK have moved largely independently of RSP over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.41 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.

| Investment | Correlation with RSP | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in RSP's 4 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | 0.24 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 1 of 4 |
| [XLE](https://easycompare.io/research/xle): State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.47 | +177% | 25.5% | 0.93 | 1 of 4 |
| DBMF: iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF | -0.24 | +59.7% | 12.4% | 0.82 | 1 of 4 |
| DBA: Invesco DB Agriculture Fund | 0.25 | +66.4% | 13.8% | 0.81 | 1 of 4 |
| GDX: VanEck Gold Miners ETF | 0.39 | +181% | 38.2% | 0.73 | 0 of 4 |
| USO: United States Oil Fund, LP | 0.01 | +176% | 37.7% | 0.73 | 1 of 4 |
| FLSP: Franklin Systematic Style Premia ETF | 0.05 | +49.8% | 13.4% | 0.68 | 1 of 4 |
| PDBC: Invesco Optimum Yield Diversified Commodity Strategy No K-1 ETF | 0.15 | +73.9% | 19.3% | 0.67 | 1 of 4 |

## Common questions

### What was RSP's worst drawdown?

RSP's deepest decline since it began trading in 2003 was 59.9%, from July 2007 to March 2009. It took 23 months from the low to climb back to its old high. Because RSP launched in May 2003, that record does not include the dot-com bust.

### What were RSP's best and worst years?

Over 22 full calendar years, RSP's best year was 2009, when it returned 44.7%. Its worst was 2008, with a return of -40.0%.

### Is there a better investment than RSP?

Among RSP's popular alternatives, QUS, FNDX and DIA earned more than RSP with less volatility over the past 5 years. QUS returned 11.1% a year at 14.2% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.1%. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, MGV (US large-cap value) earned more than RSP with less volatility over the past 5 years: 12.6% a year at 13.4% volatility, against 8.2% a year at 16.1%.

### Is RSP more volatile than the S&P 500?

No. RSP's volatility over the past 5 years was 16.1%, 94% of the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, RSP's return lands within 16.1% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

### What is RSP's Sharpe ratio?

RSP's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.57, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so RSP earned less for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

### How correlated is RSP with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, RSP's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.90 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They move almost in lockstep, so holding both adds little diversification. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against RSP instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a RSP holding.

### What are the best alternatives to RSP?

Of the 21 popular alternatives we compared, three outperformed RSP in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: QUAL, FNDX and PRF.

### Did RSP outperform the S&P 500?

RSP finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in nine of 22 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +11.2%, against +17.7% for the index.

### How did RSP do in stock market crashes?

RSP fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in one of the nine major crashes it has traded through, and further in six. The clearest case was the Covid crash, when RSP fell 39.0% and the S&P 500 fell 33.7%.

### What diversifies RSP?

These had a low correlation with RSP over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, GLD (correlation 0.24), XLE (correlation 0.47) and DBMF (correlation -0.24); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.41), CLS (correlation 0.37) and MCK (correlation 0.30). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

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## Explore further

- Full page with charts: https://easycompare.io/research/rsp
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt
- Compare the entire market against RSP live: https://betterthanspy.com/?b=RSP&utm_source=easycompare&utm_medium=research