| IEFA | IEMG | |
|---|---|---|
| Total return | +143.1% | +138.7% |
| Annualised (CAGR) | +9.3% | +9.1% |
| Volatility (annualised) | +15.0% | +16.9% |
| Sharpe (rf = 0) | 0.62 | 0.54 |
| Deepest drawdown | -34.8% | -38.7% |
| Drawdown peak → trough | 2018-01-26 → 2020-03-23 | 2018-01-26 → 2020-03-23 |
Same window, same method: IEMG fell further at its worst (-38.7%) than IEFA (-34.8%). That difference — not the headline return — is usually what decides whether an investor stays in the fund through the bad part.
| Year | IEFA | IEMG |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | +12.5% | +25.6% | ▼
| 2025 | +32.1% | +32.6% | ▼
| 2024 | +3.3% | +6.5% | ▼
| 2023 | +18.0% | +11.6% | ▲
| 2022 | -15.2% | -20.0% | ▲
| 2021 | +11.7% | -0.6% | ▲
| 2020 | +8.2% | +17.9% | ▼
| 2019 | +22.6% | +17.8% | ▲
| 2018 | -14.1% | -14.9% | ▲
| 2017 | +26.6% | +37.4% | ▼
| 2016 | -1.7% | -6.5% | ▲
It does not say which one to own. Two funds can look identical here and differ in what they hold, how they are taxed, or how they behave in the next drawdown.
Related: IEFA · IEMG · all fund pages