Data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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Alternative ETFs

HFMF vs ISMF: Correlation to the S&P 500

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Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, HFMF moved less with the S&P 500 than ISMF: correlation +0.18 against +0.48.

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Net assets: $25m on Aug 31, 2026 for Unlimited HFMF Managed Futures ETF, and $37m on Nov 3, 2026 for iShares Managed Futures Active ETF.

At a glance
+0.18
HFMF correlation with the S&P 500
+0.48
ISMF correlation with the S&P 500
56.2%
HFMF down-week capture
35.9%
ISMF down-week capture
HFMF Fell 56% as much as the S&P 500
Fell 56% as much as the S&P 500HFMF in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, HFMF −0.60%.SPY−1.07%HFMF−0.60%Average week when SPY fell: 26 of 52, year to Nov 4, 2026Fell 56% as much as the S&P 500HFMF in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, HFMF −0.60%.SPY−1.07%HFMF−0.60%Average week when SPY fell

HFMF in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, HFMF −0.60%.

ISMF Fell 36% as much as the S&P 500
Fell 36% as much as the S&P 500ISMF in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, ISMF −0.38%.SPY−1.07%ISMF−0.38%Average week when SPY fell: 26 of 52, year to Nov 4, 2026Fell 36% as much as the S&P 500ISMF in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, ISMF −0.38%.SPY−1.07%ISMF−0.38%Average week when SPY fell

ISMF in the 26 weeks SPY fell, year to Nov 4, 2026: SPY averaged −1.07%, ISMF −0.38%.

Pair scorecard

ISMF costs 0.17 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 2.9 points.

HFMF vs ISMF: Correlation to the S&P 500
MeasureHFMFISMF
Return
Total return, 1 year+8.0%+10.9%
Against its benchmark
Treasury bills, 52 weeks+3.7%
Cost and size
Expense ratio0.97%0.80%
Net assets, HFMF as of Aug 31, 2026 and ISMF as of Nov 3, 2026$25m$37m
Holdings
Holdings in commonnot published
Risk
Beta to the S&P 500+0.24: about 0.24% for each 1%+0.31: about 0.31% for each 1%
Its average week when the S&P 500 fellfell 0.60%fell 0.38%
ETFIQ Stock Diversification Score · HFMF scores higher How much does it diversify a stock portfolio?
IQ Alternatives Score58.8HFMF50ISMF

How much it diversifies a stock portfolio, ranked against 17 systematic trend alternatives ETFs with a full year. 100 is best. How it is computed

2.9, the lowest in this set 94.2, the highest

One year of weekly moves against the S&P 500, within one strategy; it ignores what the fund returned. All alternatives ETFs ranked by it →

Method

Window by window

Window by window: HFMF vs ISMF: Correlation to the S&P 500
Total return
WindowHFMFISMF
3 months+2.6%−0.7%
6 months−2.9%−1.1%
1 year+8.0%+10.9%
Since launchNot the same days: HFMF Jul 2025 · ISMF Mar 2025+11.8%+17.9%

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Side by side

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 ISMF iShares Managed Futures Active ETF · Managed futures fund: follows price trends in futures on stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities, and can bet on falls as well as rises
Strategy Managed futures Managed futures
Correlation with the S&P 500 +0.18 +0.48
Beta to the S&P 500 +0.24 +0.31
Down-week capture 56.2% 35.9%
Average week when the S&P 500 fell −0.60% −0.38%
The S&P 500 in those weeks −1.07% −1.07%
Total return, same 52 weeks +8.3% +10.5%
Against T-bills, percentage points +4.6 pts +6.8 pts
Expense ratio 0.97% 0.80%
First traded Jul 15, 2025 Mar 13, 2025
Net assets, HFMF as of Aug 31, 2026 and ISMF as of Nov 3, 2026 $25m $37m

As of Nov 4, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

One strategy, two funds

HFMF and ISMF both run a managed futures strategy. Over the same 52 weeks to Nov 4, 2026, HFMF’s weekly returns had a correlation of +0.18 with the S&P 500 and ISMF’s +0.48. In the 26 weeks the index fell, by 1.07% a week on average, HFMF averaged −0.60% and ISMF −0.38%. Over the same weeks, HFMF finished 4.6 percentage points ahead of cash and ISMF finished 6.8 points ahead of cash.

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About each fund
HFMF

HFMF 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 Nov 4, 2026, its weekly returns had a correlation of +0.18 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. The S&P 500 fell in 26 of those 52 weeks, by 1.07% on average. In the same weeks HFMF fell 0.60% on average, a down-week capture of 56.2%. Over the same 52 weeks HFMF returned +8.3% and a Treasury bill fund +3.7%, so it finished 4.6 percentage points ahead of cash.

ISMF

ISMF is a managed futures fund. Over the year to Nov 4, 2026, its weekly returns had a correlation of +0.48 with the S&P 500’s and a beta of +0.31, so for each 1% the index moved it moved about 0.31% the same way. In the same weeks ISMF fell 0.38% on average, a down-week capture of 35.9%. Over the same 52 weeks ISMF returned +10.5% and a Treasury bill fund +3.7%, so it finished 6.8 percentage points ahead of cash.

Questions people ask

Which moved less with the S&P 500, HFMF or ISMF?
Over the 52 weeks to Nov 4, 2026, HFMF’s weekly returns had a correlation of +0.18 with the S&P 500 and ISMF’s +0.48, so HFMF moved less with the index.
Which did better when the S&P 500 fell, HFMF or ISMF?
In the 26 weeks the S&P 500 fell, by 1.07% a week on average, HFMF averaged −0.60% and ISMF −0.38%, so ISMF returned more in those weeks.
Which earned more than cash, HFMF or ISMF?
Over the same weeks, HFMF finished 4.6 percentage points ahead of cash and ISMF finished 6.8 percentage points ahead of cash. Cash here is BIL, a fund of Treasury bills.
Which is cheaper, HFMF or ISMF?
HFMF charges 0.97% a year and ISMF charges 0.80%, so ISMF is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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ETFIQ, HFMF against ISMF, data as of Nov 4, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/alternatives/hfmf-vs-ismf

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