Data as of .
FMF vs HFMF: which moved less with stocks?
Over the year to Sep 18, 2026, FMF moved less with the S&P 500 than HFMF: correlation +0.18 against +0.20.
ETFIQ Diversifier Score: FMF scores higher
How much does it diversify a stock portfolio?
A percentile among the 63 alternatives ETFs with a full year. It is a position in a set, not a rating, and neither end of it is a recommendation. All alternatives ETFs ranked by it · How it is computed
One strategy, two funds
FMF and HFMF both run a managed futures strategy. Over the same 52 weeks to Sep 18, 2026, FMF’s weekly returns had a correlation of +0.18 with the S&P 500 and HFMF’s +0.20. In the 22 weeks the index fell, by 1.24% a week on average, FMF averaged +0.20% and HFMF −0.16%. Over the same weeks, FMF finished 11.7 percentage points ahead of cash and HFMF finished 5.0 points ahead of cash.
Performance, window by window
| Window | Total return | vs the S&P 500 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FMF | HFMF | FMF | HFMF | |
| 3 months | +4.9% | +2.9% | +2.6 pts | +0.6 pts |
| 6 months | +6.9% | −2.9% | −11.1 pts | −20.9 pts |
| 1 year | +15.7% | +8.7% | −0.9 pts | −7.9 pts |
| 3 years | +21.0% | not published | −57.4 pts | not published |
| Since launch | +33.5% | +14.1% | −424.0 pts | −10.0 pts |
| FMF First Trust Managed Futures Strategy Fund Managed futures fund: follows price trends in futures on stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities, and can bet on falls as well as rises | HFMF Unlimited HFMF Managed Futures ETF Managed futures fund: follows price trends in futures on stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities, and can bet on falls as well as rises | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | First Trust | Unlimited |
| Strategy | Managed futures | Managed futures |
| Correlation with the S&P 500 | +0.18 | +0.20 |
| Beta to the S&P 500 | +0.12 | +0.24 |
| Down-week capture | −16.2% | 12.7% |
| Average week when the S&P 500 fell | +0.20% | −0.16% |
| The S&P 500 in those weeks | −1.24% | −1.24% |
| Total return, same 52 weeks | +15.3% | +8.7% |
| Against T-bills, percentage points | +11.7 pts | +5.0 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.98% | 0.97% |
| Listed | Aug 2, 2013 | Jul 15, 2025 |
| Net assets | $288m | $23m |
FMF in plain words
FMF is a managed futures fund. ETFIQ measures what every alternatives fund is sold on: whether it moves differently from the stock market. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026, its weekly returns had a correlation of +0.18 with the S&P 500’s and a beta of +0.12, so for each 1% the index moved it moved about 0.12% the same way. The S&P 500 fell in 22 of those 52 weeks, by 1.24% on average. In the same weeks FMF rose 0.20% on average, a down-week capture of −16.2%. Over the same 52 weeks FMF returned +15.3% and a Treasury bill fund +3.6%, so it finished 11.7 percentage points ahead of cash.
HFMF in plain words
HFMF is a managed futures fund. Over the year to Sep 18, 2026, its weekly returns had a correlation of +0.20 with the S&P 500’s and a beta of +0.24, so for each 1% the index moved it moved about 0.24% the same way. In the same weeks HFMF fell 0.16% on average, a down-week capture of 12.7%. Over the same 52 weeks HFMF returned +8.7% and a Treasury bill fund +3.6%, so it finished 5.0 percentage points ahead of cash.
Questions people ask
- Which moved less with the S&P 500, FMF or HFMF?
- Over the 52 weeks to Sep 18, 2026, FMF’s weekly returns had a correlation of +0.18 with the S&P 500 and HFMF’s +0.20, so FMF moved less with the index.
- Which did better when the S&P 500 fell, FMF or HFMF?
- In the 22 weeks the S&P 500 fell, by 1.24% a week on average, FMF averaged +0.20% and HFMF −0.16%, so FMF returned more in those weeks.
- Which earned more than cash, FMF or HFMF?
- Over the same weeks, FMF finished 11.7 percentage points ahead of cash and HFMF finished 5.0 percentage points ahead of cash. Cash here is BIL, a fund of Treasury bills.
- Which is cheaper, FMF or HFMF?
- FMF charges 0.98% a year and HFMF charges 0.97%, so HFMF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
Other comparisons
Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, FMF against HFMF, data as of Sep 18, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/alternatives/fmf-vs-hfmf Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.