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).
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Relative Performance
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
| Timeframe | SPY | IWM | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
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
IWM
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
IWM
| Metric | SPY | IWM | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
Uptrend + capital inflow
Uptrend, weak flow
Flow in, no trend yet
Downtrend + outflow
Good risk/reward
IWM
Uptrend + capital inflow
Uptrend, weak flow
Flow in, no trend yet
Downtrend + outflow
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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