ETFETF

    SPDR S&P 500 ETF vs iShares Russell 2000 ETF

    SPY / IWM

    Large-cap vs small-cap — breadth and risk appetite indicator

    Last updated: February 26, 2026

    SPY is losing ground against IWM with a price ratio of 2.59. The ratio's z-score of -2.01 is historically extreme. The two assets are currently highly correlated (63-day: 0.77).

    SPY Flow
    50/100Neutral
    IWM Flow
    72/100Positive Flow

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    Relative Performance

    Price Ratio
    2.59Below 50d average
    50d / 200d SMA: 2.65 / 2.76
    Ratio vs 50d MA
    -2.3%Near average
    Z-Score (200d)
    -2.01Extreme deviation
    Ratio RSI (14)
    36Neutral

    The price ratio is currently below its 50-day moving average, indicating IWM has been gaining relative ground recently. The ratio is near its 50-day average, suggesting no significant relative extension. The 200-day z-score of -2.01 signals an extreme deviation — the current ratio is unusually far from its long-term norm.

    Performance Comparison

    TimeframeSPYIWMLeader
    10-Day-0.4%+0.4%IWM
    21-Day-0.9%+0.5%IWM
    63-Day+3.4%+11.2%IWM

    Performance is mixed across timeframes, with no clear consistent leader between SPY and IWM. Watch for a breakout in relative momentum.

    Correlation

    63-Day Correlation
    0.77Moderate positive
    252-Day Correlation
    0.87Very strong positive

    These two assets have a very strong positive long-term correlation of 0.87. The short-term and long-term correlations are closely aligned at 0.77 and 0.87, indicating a stable relationship. High correlation means these assets offer limited diversification benefit when held together.

    Money Flow Comparison

    SPY

    Flow Score
    5050/100
    CMF (20d)
    0.10Net inflow
    Relative Volume
    0.81×Normal

    IWM

    Flow Score
    7272/100
    CMF (20d)
    0.12Net inflow
    Relative Volume
    0.98×Normal

    IWM has a stronger flow score (72/100 vs 50/100), indicating more consistent accumulation pressure. Both assets show net inflow via Chaikin Money Flow (IWM: 0.12, SPY: 0.10), though IWM leads on overall flow score.

    Trend & Risk

    SPY

    Trend
    60/100Uptrend
    Risk
    71/100Good risk/reward

    IWM

    Trend
    73/100Uptrend
    Risk
    68/100Good risk/reward
    MetricSPYIWMAdvantage
    Volatility (21d)+12.6%+19.7%SPY
    Max Drawdown (1Y)-16.2%-18.8%SPY
    Beta
    Correlation (63d)0.77

    IWM has significantly stronger trend momentum (73/100 vs 60/100), suggesting it is in a more favourable technical position. Risk profiles are comparable (71/100 vs 68/100). IWM is 1.6x more volatile than SPY on a 21-day basis (19.7% vs 12.6%), which means larger price swings in either direction.

    Direction Assessment

    SPY

    STRONG

    Uptrend + capital inflow

    WARNING

    Uptrend, weak flow

    EMERGING

    Flow in, no trend yet

    WEAK

    Downtrend + outflow

    Risk Profile71/100

    Good risk/reward

    IWM

    STRONG

    Uptrend + capital inflow

    WARNING

    Uptrend, weak flow

    EMERGING

    Flow in, no trend yet

    WEAK

    Downtrend + outflow

    Risk Profile68/100

    Good risk/reward

    Putting It Together

    SPY is currently losing ground against IWM, with the price ratio at 2.59 versus its 50-day average of 2.65. The 200-day z-score of -2.01 is historically extreme, suggesting IWM may be stretched relative to SPY. On a flow basis, IWM shows stronger capital accumulation (72 vs 50). SPY carries lower short-term volatility (+12.6% vs +19.7% 21-day), with max drawdowns of -16.2% and -18.8% respectively. With a 63-day correlation of 0.77, these assets move closely together — limiting diversification benefit. Monitor the ratio trend and flow divergence for early signals of a shift in relative leadership.

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