SPDR S&P 500 ETF vs iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF
SPY / EEM
Developed vs emerging markets — global capital flow direction
Last updated: February 26, 2026
SPY is losing ground against EEM with a price ratio of 10.99. The ratio's z-score of -2.95 is historically extreme. The two assets are currently moderately correlated (63-day: 0.70).
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Relative Performance
The price ratio is currently below its 50-day moving average, indicating EEM has been gaining relative ground recently. The ratio is extended at -7.2% from its 50-day average, suggesting the relative move may be overdue for a pullback. The 200-day z-score of -2.95 signals an extreme deviation — the current ratio is unusually far from its long-term norm. Ratio RSI at 14 is oversold, suggesting EEM's recent dominance could be nearing exhaustion.
Performance Comparison
| Timeframe | SPY | EEM | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Day | -0.4% | +1.9% | EEM |
| 21-Day | -0.9% | +3.9% | EEM |
| 63-Day | +3.4% | +18.5% | EEM |
Performance is mixed across timeframes, with no clear consistent leader between SPY and EEM. Watch for a breakout in relative momentum.
Correlation
These two assets have a moderate positive long-term correlation of 0.75. The short-term and long-term correlations are closely aligned at 0.70 and 0.75, indicating a stable relationship. High correlation means these assets offer limited diversification benefit when held together.
Money Flow Comparison
SPY
EEM
EEM has a stronger flow score (78/100 vs 50/100), indicating more consistent accumulation pressure. Both assets show net inflow via Chaikin Money Flow (EEM: 0.19, SPY: 0.10), though EEM leads on overall flow score.
Trend & Risk
SPY
EEM
| Metric | SPY | EEM | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility (21d) | +12.6% | +19.3% | SPY |
| Max Drawdown (1Y) | -16.2% | -15.0% | EEM |
| Beta | — | — | — |
| Correlation (63d) | 0.70 | — | |
EEM has significantly stronger trend momentum (89/100 vs 60/100), suggesting it is in a more favourable technical position. EEM carries a better risk profile (83/100 vs 71/100), with lower overall risk metrics. EEM is 1.5x more volatile than SPY on a 21-day basis (19.3% vs 12.6%), which means larger price swings in either direction.
Direction Assessment
SPY
Uptrend + capital inflow
Uptrend, weak flow
Flow in, no trend yet
Downtrend + outflow
Good risk/reward
EEM
Uptrend + capital inflow
Uptrend, weak flow
Flow in, no trend yet
Downtrend + outflow
Excellent risk/reward
Putting It Together
SPY is currently losing ground against EEM, with the price ratio at 10.99 versus its 50-day average of 11.85. The 200-day z-score of -2.95 is historically extreme, suggesting EEM may be stretched relative to SPY. On a flow basis, EEM shows stronger capital accumulation (78 vs 50). SPY carries lower short-term volatility (+12.6% vs +19.3% 21-day), with max drawdowns of -16.2% and -15.0% respectively. With a 63-day correlation of 0.70, these assets show moderate co-movement — limiting diversification benefit. Monitor the ratio trend and flow divergence for early signals of a shift in relative leadership.
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